Shelby County municipalities and residents are seeking FEMA grant money to build storm shelters following April 27 tornadoes

By Malcomb Daniels -- The Birmingham News The Birmingham News
Calera, Pelham, Vincent, Wilsonville have applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency funds that have been made available for community storm shelters following the April 27 tornadoes
Also, more than 125 people around Shelby County have applied for funds for individual storm shelters, according to county officials.
Cities and individuals still can apply for storm shelter funds. The deadline is Oct. 27. The original deadline was Sept. 1.
In June, FEMA and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency began advertising that money would be available to cities, with FEMA providing 75 percent of the funding and municipalities providing 25 percent.
The grants are available to individuals on a similar formula, with FEMA providing 75 percent and the individual 25 percent.
Applications are being filed with the state EMA and are then forwarded to FEMA, said the Shelby County officials. The county has been assisting cities and individuals with the application process.
According to the county, cities have made the following requests for funding:
--Pelham, five double units, each with a 150 person capacity, to be located at three locations.
--Calera, 1 double unit, with a 150 person capacity.
--Vincent, 1 double unit, with a 150 person capacity.
--Wilsonville, 1 double unit, with a 150 person capacity.
Shelby County says it has assisted the cities with completing applications, getting property maps, FEMA flood maps, site coordinates, aerials, site pictures and budget costs of shelters.
On Aug. 1, the county held a community meeting to explain the application process to individuals. That meeting was attended by 188 people. The county says it has received calls from nearly 400 people about the individual storm shelter program.