Jackson County to Receive Federal Funds for New St. Martin
High School Shelter BILOXI, Miss. –St. Martin High School and build a shelter in the new facility. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will provide an $8.7 million grant from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). The shelter upgrade project will be developed as a Partnered Mitigation Project (PMP). Such projects utilize funds from the HMGP and FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program to repair or replace public facilities while making them stronger. There are two other PMP currently at work in Mississippi. More than $42 million in PA funds have been obligated for the new St. Martin High School. Additional PA funding will be provided for site work. The HMGP is administered by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency which identifies and manages the projects from beginning to closeout. The shelter will be built to current FEMA shelter standards, providing near absolute protection for approximately 2,600 people in approximately 52,000-square-feet of shelter space. The design of the shelter must be coordinated with FEMA to ensure that the construction is in accordance with FEMA 361, Design and Construction Guidance for Community Shelters. The shelter’s construction will withstand high winds and the impact of windborne debris during tornadoes, hurricanes and other extreme wind events. The St. Martin High School shelter will substantially increase Mississippi’s shelter inventory. The project will be completed in two phases. Phase One will include architectural design and engineering, development of the shelter maintenance plan, development of shelter signage plan, development of shelter operations plan, completion of a Benefit Cost Analysis, permitting and procurement of a contractor for construction. Phase Two will consist of site preparation and construction of the proposed shelter as well as architect oversight and project management. The HMGP can be used to fund projects to protect either public or private property, provided the project fits within the state’s and local government’s overall mitigation strategy and complies with HMGP guidelines. The objectives of the HMGP are to reduce or eliminate future risk to lives and property from all hazards, provide funds to implement projects previously identified in state or local hazard mitigation plans, and enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster.
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