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Area Storm Shelters

Area Storm Shelters

In many counties in our service area, the county government, sheriff’s department, or emergency management agency (EMA) have coordinated with local churches, schools, or businesses to provide safe shelter locations for community members who might not otherwise have the needed shelter during severe weather or a tornado threat–specifically those who live in a mobile home or trailer.

In North Alabama, many communities also have community roadside storm shelters, which were installed following the April 2011 tornadoes via State and Federal grants. However, in some counties and locations where no shelter is available you will need to shelther-in-place instead of using a communal shelter.

Identifying a location to shelter-in-place…

An underground area, such as a basement or storm cellar, provides the best protection from a tornado. If an underground shelter is unavailable, consider the following:

If you are at home, work, school:

  • Seek a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible
    (closet,interior hallway, bathroom) away from corners, windows, doors, and
    outside walls.
  • Stay away from doors, windows, and outside walls
  • Stay in the center of the room, and avoid corners because they attract debris
  • Rooms constructed with reinforced concrete, brick or block with no windows and a heavy concrete floor or roof system overhead
  • Avoid auditoriums, cafeterias and gymnasiums that have flat, wide-span roofs.
  • Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and
    use pillows, blankets, or other “cushions” to protect your head and neck. As a last resort,
    use your arms to protect your head and neck.

If you are in a mobile home:

    • Take shelter in a building with a strong foundation
    • If a shelter is not available, lie in a ditch or low-lying area a safe distance away from the mobile home.
    • Use your arms to protect head and neckMobile homes are particularly vulnerable to tornadoes. They can be easily overturned, even if precautions have been taken to tie down the unit. If you are in a mobile home when a tornado is approaching, evacuate the home immediately.

If you are outdoors or in a vehicle:

  • If possible, get inside a building.
  • If driving, NEVER try to outrun a tornado! They can change direction quickly and can instantly lift up a car, truck or any other vehicle and toss it through the air.
  • Get out of the vehicle immediately and take shelter in a nearby building.
  • If shelter is unavailable or there is no time to get indoors, lie in a ditch or low-lying area or crouch near a strong building.
  • Use your arms to protect your head and neck
  • Stay alert to the potential for flooding

Here is a list of area storm shelters for use in severe weather…

Marion Co., TN:

Shelter-in-place or wait until official shelter locations are announced by Sheriff’s Dept. or EMA

Grundy Co., TN:

Altamont
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
12471 Hwy 108
Bishop Aaron Barrett 692-3060
Church 692-3089

Beersheba Springs
Grace Baptist Church
56 Backbone Rd.
Pastor Johnny Gross – 692-3080
Church 692-3916

Coalmont – NO Shelter

Gruetli-Laager – NO SHELTER

Monteagle
First Baptist Church
239 1st Street
Church 924-3243
Milton Ogelvie 924-5707
Wayne Cox 924-2121
Roger Everett 235-0273

Palmer
First Baptist Church – Basement
Hwy 56 next to Dr. Wah’s Office
Billy Guffey 779-3984

Pelham
Valley Home Methodist Church
Half Basement

Tracy City
First Baptist Church
531 Main Street
Church – 592-8100
Ben or Mandy Curtis – 592-8101

Note from Grundy Co. EMA: We only encourage use of these shelters for people in unsteady buildings or mobile/modular homes. People who are traveling may also make use of shelters in times of emergency.
The buildings listed above are for Thunder Storms and Tornadic Events.

Sequatchie Co., TN:

Dunlap
Sequatchie Co. Rescue Squad
16385 Rankin Ave.
Phone: (423)949-2207

Jackson Co., AL:

Bridgeport Elementary School
1014 Jacobs Ave, Bridgeport

Bridgeport Middle School
620 Jacobs Ave, Bridgeport

Bridgeport Shelter
602 Broadway Ave, Bridgeport

Bridgeport Shelter
2105 5th St, Bridgeport

Bryant Elementary School
6645 Al Highway 73

Dutton Elementary School
180 Main Street, Dutton

Dutton Town Hall
69 Browntown Road (Basement)

Earnest Pruitt Center of Technology school
29500 block us hwy 72 Hollywood

Flat Rock Elementary School
788 County Road 326, Flat Rock

Higdon Park Storm Shelter
28424 AL Highway 71, Higdon

Hollywood school
6369 co rd 33 Hollywood al

Jackson County Courthouse (basement) — Scottsboro
123 East Laurel Street
Scottsboro
(256) 574-9330

Langston Shelter
9277 County Road 67, Langston

Macedonia Elementary School
196 County Road 49, Section

North Jackson High School
45549 Alabama Highway 277, Stevenson

North Sand Mountain High School
29333 Alabama Highway 71, Higdon

Paint Rock Valley High School
51 County Road 3, Princeton

Paint Rock Shelter
3881 U.S. Highway 72, Paint Rock

Pisgah High School
60 Metcalf St, Pisgah

Pisgah Shelter
6209 County Road 88, Pisgah

Princeton Park Storm Shelter
325 County Road 3, Princeton

Rosalie Elementary School
162 County Road 355, Pisgah

Section High School
141 Al Highway 71

Section Shelter
72 Dutton Road, Section

Skyline High School, Scottsboro
897 County Road 25, Scottsboro

Stevenson Elementary School
930 Old Mt. Carmel Rd, Stevenson

Stevenson Middle School
701 Kentucky Ave, Stevenson

Stevenson Shelter
905 E. 2nd Street, Stevenson

Stevenson Shelter
802 Kentucky Ave, Stevenson

Stevenson Shelter
107 Tennessee Ave, Stevenson

Woodville High School
290 County Road 63, Woodville

Hamilton Co., TN:

Shelter-in-place or wait until official shelter locations are announced by Sheriff’s Dept. or EMA

Permanent link to this article: https://kd4atw.org/skywarn/area-storm-shelters/