Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $461,355 grant to help residents in a west Jefferson County community keep safe from future storms.
Community Development Block Grant funds will enable the county to construct a storm shelter for residents in the Martintown-Raymond community. The project is among several public storm shelters that have been constructed throughout the county since a massive tornado outbreak struck Alabama in 2011 and claimed several hundred lives, including many in Jefferson County.
“We cannot and we must not forget the horrific storms that struck Alabama in April 2011, which destroyed many portions of our state and disrupted lives,” Ivey said. “While we cannot prevent that kind of outbreak from happening again, we can take precautions to ensure those in our communities have a place of refuge. This shelter will provide a refuge for this community when there is a severe weather outbreak.”
The prefabricated storm shelter will be constructed near the Martintown Senior Center on land provided by the county.
“I know first-hand the devastation and heartbreak in communities that can be caused by storms,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “I support Gov. Ivey and her efforts to help communities stay safe by providing a community shelter for residents during times of severe weather.”
Ivey notified James A. Stephens, chairman of the Jefferson County Commission, that the grant had been approved.
ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.
-30-
Contact Jim Plott or Mike Presley