Foley first responders and emergency personnel will have a new safe room for emergencies

FOLEY, Ala. (WKRG) — First responders and emergency personnel in Foley will soon have a place to shelter in the event of an emergency, according to a release from the city.

The shelter comes after the Foley City Council voted Monday, May 20, to accept a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Officials say that although they developed plans for the facility, it was the grant that made the shelter possible since the city will only have to pay 10 percent of the projected $5.58 million cost.

The release states the facility will be built on city property on North Poplar Street, north of the site where the public works campus is under construction and south of East Berry Avenue, and will contain the following:

• Will accommodate more than 200 people
• Built to withstand winds up to 200 miles per hour
• The facility will be equipped with a 400-kilowatt generator that can run on natural gas or diesel.
• The shelter will be equipped with a kitchen and everything necessary to accommodate staff in the event of an emergency.

“I am very pleased to announce that our long-awaited green light for the secure room has been given by FEMA,” said David Wilson, Foley Public Safety Executive Director. “This is a safe and secure facility from which first responders can operate during hurricanes and other emergency situations. Its total area is almost 10,000 square feet.