Cherokee County EMA Director Shawn Rogers is pleased to announce that a new community storm shelter is in the near future for the citizens of the Sand Rock community. Director Rogers says he was notified Tuesday morning by the Alabama Emergency Management Agency of the approval for a grant application submitted by his agency. The grant is for a new Community Safe Room that totals $108,577.

Director Rogers states the new Sand Rock storm shelter will be a 10’ wide x 48’ long x 8’ tall storm shelter and will have the ability to safely hold approximately 95 people. Director Rogers says this grant opportunity was made available due to a federally declared disaster stemming from a January 2016 straight line wind event leaving several homes in the Sand Rock community damaged. Director Rogers says this grant application process took a little over a year and a half to complete but it is all worth it because it will give the citizens a safe place to go during severe weather and it will ultimately save lives.

The shelter will have a backup generator so if the power goes out during a weather event those inside will still have power. It will also have a built-in ventilation system. Everything will be handicap accessible and it will have a built-in restroom.

Director Rogers wishes to express his thanks to Mayor Mackey for his patience  during this process. “I know it took longer than expected especially with the major hurricanes this year but I won’t give up and I stand committed to providing the citizens of Cherokee County with a safe place to go if and when they need it.” The new storm shelter will be located directly across from Sand Rock school on Sand Rock Ave.