Story Published:
Jan 14, 2009 at 5:51 PM CST
Story Updated:
Jan 15, 2009 at 9:50 AM CST
NIANGUA, Mo. -- Professional sports teams play under big, domed stadiums. It's the shape of things to come for this town and its school in Webster County. It's a first-of-its-kind storm shelter in the Ozarks -- and a lesson in the geometry of safety.
The concrete igloo going up next to Niangua School is a big tornado shelter.
“It’s FEMA-rated and can withstand lumber flying at 250 to 300 miles an hour,” said Doug Jenson, the builder of the dome.
Winds nearly that strong come from the fury of an F5 tornado, the most violent category of tornadoes.
“It can withstand a storm for five minutes,” said Jenson.
It’s a building with two purposes. The community storm shelter is also Niangua's new preschool, which will move out of what folks around here call a tornado magnet.
“Our preschool is in a double-wide trailer, so there's not a better place to put kids for their safety,” said Niangua School Superintendent Andy Adams.
The entire student body of 250 plus 150 citizens can get inside if the worst whirls over the horizon. And don't let the unconventional shape fool you. With strength, you get incredible savings on utility bills.
“It runs 50 percent less on heating and cooling.”
The combination preschool/storm shelter is scheduled for completion by the end of March -- hopefully before Mother Nature might throw in a test.
Niangua is getting a great deal on its new $300,000 shelter. The town and school district pay 10 percent and the Federal Emergency Management Agency pays the rest. By the way, that's $200,000 cheaper than building something with four corners.
