Hale County EMA to build 4 new storm shelters

SAWYERVILLE, Ala. ( WIAT ) — Congresswoman Terri Sewell has secured $488,000 in grant money for four new tornado storm shelters in Hale County.

The new shelters will be built in Sawyerville, Akron, Greensboro and Moundville. The tornado shelters are rated for an EF-5 storm and can withstand wind speeds of 200 MPH.

Workers have already poured the concrete for the foundations in Sawyerville and Akron and will deliver the shelters to be installed next Monday. Hale County EMA Director Russell Weeden says these new shelters will save lives during severe weather.

“We have so many calls during severe weather [asking] ‘Where can we go to get away from the tornado?’ and so we’ve never had a real good place to tell them where to go,” Weeden said. “So now we will have a place to tell them.”

Sawyerville resident Harry Davis says he is thankful the county is taking steps to make sure residents have somewhere they can be safe when bad weather happens.

“I think this is very important for our city because in our area we’ve been having so many tornados,” Davis said. “We need somewhere to go for shelter in this area.”

Russell Weeden says six tornados touched down in Hale County from 2022 to 2023, resulting in 90 homes being damaged and one fatality. During the April 27, 2011 tornado, there were eight fatalities in Hale County.

“I feel like those injuries and fatalities could have been prevented if we had a safe place for them to go,” Weeden said.

The four new shelters are planned to be open to the public in October.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.