The Birmingham News | Every party got it right in resolving issue over FEMA storm shelters in Alabama

Every party got it right in resolving issue over FEMA storm shelters in Alabama
The Birmingham News | October 11, 2011

The assurance the Federal Emergency Management Agency gave that emergency storm shelters built at schools in Alabama will remain intact and on-site is a victory for common sense and a case study in how to address the unintended consequences of a regulation.

School administrators were rightly alarmed and even incredulous after learning they could be forced to remove or tear down brand-new storm shelters built to protect students after the devastating tornadoes in our state. Alert reporting by The Birmingham News first brought to light a regulation that, while perhaps seeming logical on paper, did not translate to situations in Alabama where every standing shelter is precious and potentially lifesaving.

To its credit, FEMA officials listened to these criticisms and last week confirmed to me and Congressman Robert Aderholt they have a solution that will keep the shelters in place permanently and be fair to the interests of schools and taxpayers. This is the outcome I hoped for when I introduced legislation to preserve the shelters.

This is a case where every party got it right: the schools for identifying the problem, public-interest journalists for highlighting the issue, and Director Craig Fugate for being willing to review FEMA's policy to see if it truly was serving the purpose of protecting safety.

The kudos go all around, and it's the students and citizens in our communities who will benefit when they have safe shelter from the next severe storm.

Spencer Bachus

U.S. representative, Alabama's 6th District

Washington, D.C. For more info, click here