Tight Budgets Limit Storm Shelters

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Tight Budgets Limit Storm Shelters
Marion School Not Fitted As Shelter

OCALA, Fla. -- A tight budget is prompting controversial changes at a new school being built in Marion County.

The school was supposed to double as a hurricane shelter, but tight funds are making that impossible, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported.


The scaling back at Forest High School adds to a bigger problem across Central Florida -- a shortage of storm shelters. Work has barely begun on the new $40 million school outside Ocala, but already a storm of controversy swirls around the project.

The school board does not want to spend another $500,000 to add features that would allow the school to serve as a public shelter in the event of a Category 3 or 4 hurricane.

'We don't say that it doesn't need to be hurricane-hardened. Our contention is that we just don't want to have to pay for it," Marion County School Board member Kevin Christian said.

The trouble is that Marion County is more than 18,000 shelter spaces short.

Marion County Emergency Management Director Chip Wildy said there is space for some 8,000 people in a hardened shelter, but that the space is for the citizens of Marion County.

"We're not talking about hosting for coastal communities," Wildy said.

This battle highlights the problem of a lack of public shelter space to safely house evacuees during a major hurricane.

The biggest shortage is in costal Volusia County where the shortage is more than 23,000 spaces. Volusia County is followed by Marion and Sumter Counties; together the total space shortage totals 60,000 across Central Florida.

"It would be great if they came through with more money, but then you've got all these other issues. You have solid waste, stormwater issues, everything else that government has to take on right now. Somewhere in there is lost the shelter space until we do have an Andrew hit. Then suddenly everybody wants to know what happened," Wildy said.

The state has spent more than $40 million in the last three years on fitting buildings for hurricane shelters.

In Central Florida, Seminole, Flagler, Lake, Osceola and Brevard counties actually have a shelter surplus.

[vbhoutex]

In Central Florida, Seminole, Flagler, Lake, Osceola and Brevard counties actually have a shelter surplus.

I guess we all know where to head if we are in Central FL during a 'cane!!!

That is sad that the state can't come up with the money to help with the obviously sorely needed facilities!!!