A private school in Victoria, Texas, will receive $2.3 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to build a gym which will double as a community safe room, The Victoria Advocate reports.
The grants for the St. Joseph High School gym cover 75 percent of the total project cost, which is $3.1 million. The remainder will be covered by donations from families, alumni and friends of the school. The federal funds come from FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which can be used for a variety of projects.
The program provides grants to state and tribal and area governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures that reduce the loss of life and property cause by natural disasters, the Advocate reports.
The stand-alone, 20,000-square-foot safe room would provide protection from hurricanes, tropical storms and tornadoes for the residents of Victoria County and is accessible for people with disabilities.