Schools awarded $1.5M FEMA grant for safe room
By Mike Mohundro
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POPLAR BLUFF, Missouri (WSIL) — The Poplar Bluff School District has been awarded more than $1.5 million through a federal grant to construct a tornado safe room at Eugene Field Elementary School, a project officials say will significantly enhance safety for students and the surrounding community.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant will fund the majority of the project, with the district contributing a local match of approximately $500,000—about 25 percent of the total cost. The Board of Education unanimously approved participation in the matching grant program during its March 19 meeting.
The planned facility will be built to withstand winds of up to 250 miles per hour, meeting EF5 tornado standards. It is tentatively slated for construction on the northeast corner of the Nickey Street campus, though district leaders say adjustments could be made depending on how the space is ultimately designed for daily student use.
Superintendent Dr. Aaron Cornman described the award as a long-awaited achievement.
“Being awarded this FEMA grant is a significant milestone that has been years in the making,” Cornman said. “Following the impact of last year’s tornado on our school community, school safety has remained a top priority for all our stakeholders.”
Cornman added that the project represents a “major victory for the south side of our community” and aligns with the district’s recently approved long-range facility plan.
In addition to serving students and staff, the safe room will be open to the public during severe weather events, following established emergency protocols used at other district facilities. Similar FEMA-funded safe rooms already exist at O’Neal Elementary and Poplar Bluff Junior High.
Assistant Superintendent of Business Charles Kinsey emphasized the broader vision behind the project.
“Any community where we’re able to build a new facility, we will consider storm-rated construction,” Kinsey said. “This is a shot of adrenaline at the beginning of our long-range plan, and quite a bit more cost-effective with us having the ability to get started with an investment from the federal government.”
District officials are also working with the Poplar Bluff Planning and Zoning Commission to explore rerouting Cross Street, a move that could expand available land at the Eugene Field site.
The grant proposal dates back to the 2020–21 school year, when it was initially submitted for Lake Road Elementary. That plan was deemed ineligible due to the campus being located in a Special Flood Hazard Area. Administrators later shifted focus to Eugene Field, setting the stage for the current award.
The safe room project is the first to move forward under the district’s 10-year facility plan, approved by the Board of Education in February. The district has two years to complete construction of the new facility.
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