FEMA picks 4 NFL stadiums to serve as disaster shelters
By Mike Darnay,
23 days ago
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (KDKA) -- Four stadiums across America that are homes to NFL teams could soon be used by FEMA as emergency shelters during extreme weather events.
The four venues that have been picked to serve as "Mission Venue Ready" locations are Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Lumen Field in Seattle and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles is under review to become a potential fifth site.
"During large-scale emergencies, like the COVID-19 pandemic, hurricanes, or tornadoes, we've seen how large music, sports, and entertainment venues can serve as a safe space for communities," said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
Criswell said that while FEMA is starting with the NFL, she encourages all venues across other sports leagues to join the collaborative effort between the two organizations.
For a stadium venue to be designated as an emergency location, the site must be centrally located in its area, near major roadways and hospitals, and must be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"Stadiums are valuable community assets that are often used in times of disasters," said NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier in a statement.
Designations as Mission Ready Venues will need renewed every five years and will be checked every year for readiness and preparedness.
Helene headed towards Florida and the Gulf Coast
This new partnership between FEMA and the NFL comes as Hurricane Helene is bearing down on the southeastern part of the United States, including the Gulf Coast.
The storm could bring "catastrophic and deadly storm surge" to the area and is expected to make landfall over Florida's Big Bend Coast sometime Thursday evening.
It's unclear if Raymond James Stadium in Tampa could be activated as a disaster center for this storm.
Stadiums and their role during public health emergencies
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Comments / 0