Topic outline

  • Building a (Storm-Resistant) Safe Room

    Credits: 4 PDH

    PDH Course Description:

    Every year, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other extreme windstorms injure and kill people, and cause millions of dollars worth of property damage in the United States. Even so, more and more people build homes in tornado- and hurricane-prone areas, possibly putting themselves in the path of such storms. This course is based on the FEMA publication, “ Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business” and covers the design and construction of storm-resistant safe rooms that provide near-absolute protection from tornado or hurricane winds and associated flying debris. The designs considered are applicable to homes, small businesses, and small community shelters. This course would be of particular interest to engineers in government agencies and the military concerned with construction practices and to engineers in the construction industry.

    Topics:

    • Procedures for assessing risk and determining if building a safe room is appropriate
    • Alternative safe-room locations such as underneath, in the basement, or in an interior room of a new home or small business
    • Effects of type of foundation on safe-room design
    • Design guidance on how to add a safe room to an existing structure
    • Selection of appropriate construction materials
    • Cost estimating for safe-room construction
    • Safe-room designs for homes or small businesses that meet or exceed the minimum shelter design requirements from the ICC-500 Storm Shelter Standard

    To take this course:

    1.) Enroll in Course:
    Click below to enroll:
    (must be logged into your user account)


    2.) Study: Once enrolled, click below to begin the course:

    Download the Study Guide

    Supplemental Materials:

    3.) Test: Once you've thoroughly read the course materials, please click below to take the final examination.

    Take the final exam

    4.) Certificate: A passing grade of 70% or higher on the exam, is required to receive the certificate of completion for this PDH course.
         NOTE: After the exam is completed, you will need to return to this page, in order to print (download) the certificate of completion.

    Print the Certificate of Completion

    Intended Audience: for civil, construction, structural, and mechanical engineers.
    Publication Source: US Federal Emergency Management Authority

    Mark Rossow PhD, PE (retired)

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