Fairfield County opens new tornado shelter

THORNVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) — It's important to have a safe place to go when there's a tornado warning, and there's a new structure in Fairfield County for that very reason.  

“I think it's awesome, good place for people to go in a storm, a bad storm," Lori Foor said about a new tornado shelter in her neighborhood.

Inside the shelter is a mostly empty space with power outlets, bathrooms, and access to water. It's located near the Farfield Beach area by Buckeye Lake. Foor can walk to the building from her house. 

“I think it's a good addition, it's something that Thornville has needed for a while," Foor said.  

The cost of the shelter was about $1.6 million. 75% of the money came from federal grants, 12.5% from state grants, and 12.5% was taxpayer-funded, according to Garrett Blevins, deputy director of the Fairfield County Emergency Management Agency (FCEMA). He said during an emergency like a tornado warning, 733 people can fit inside.   

“It makes us feel better that our citizens have somewhere to go," Blevins said.  

The building is made of steel and concrete. Blevins said it'll be especially helpful because most of the homes around it do not have basements since they're so close to Buckeye Lake.

“Can withstand winds up to an EF4 tornado, so just the style and shape, the wind wraps around it and doesn't really catch on anything," he said. 

The shelter is the fourth of its kind in the state, according to Blevins. There are also tables and chairs inside. The space is not just for emergencies; it can be used for community events and meetings as well. 

“We would love to only see it used for community events,” Blevins said. “We know that’s probably not realistic, so we hope it never gets used, but if it does, we know it’ll do the job and help protect the residents.” 

The shelter doors automatically unlock when the tornado warning siren sounds, according to FCEME. Blevins said they are looking at making that happen for tornado watches as well so people would have more time to get to the building. 

The shelter is located at 5056 Beaver Drive NE, Thornville, Ohio.