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Storm Shelter Moves Ahead

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By JULIA FERRANTE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 6, 2008

HUDSON - Five days into hurricane season, plans were back on track Thursday for a $7.6 million regional storm shelter and health care clinic in west Pasco, although a second new shelter in Wesley Chapel has been put on hold.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency agreed this week to ease requirements for a handful of proposed shelters in Pasco, Hillsborough, Duval and Highlands counties so construction may move forward. The Hudson and Wesley Chapel shelters are on the exempt list.

Revised FEMA regulations to be released next year would require new shelters to withstand 200 mph winds and the pressure of an F-5 tornado, state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, said. Gov. Charlie Crist and local leaders lobbied FEMA to relax the standards for projects in the works.

"We were successful to get enough money for a shelter and clinic in west Pasco," Fasano said. "However, several months ago, FEMA said any federal money used to build a new shelter must meet new wind standards. If that was the case, that type of a shelter would cost a lot more. No shelter has been built to that standard."

The exemption still requires the shelters to withstand 190 mph winds but will allow for significant savings, Assistant County Administrator Dan Johnson said in a Thursday e-mail to County Administrator John Gallagher. The Wesley Chapel shelter, which was to double as a recreation center at a county park, will not be built, as the park expansion has been delayed because of budget constraints. The Pasco shelters were designed to withstand 160 mph winds.

Fasano is encouraging Pasco officials to begin construction, and soon.

"We don't want to lose that money," he said. "When you have $7 million sitting around, state leaders are likely to find another way to use it."

An additional $750,000 has been allocated to convert the shelter into a clinic for uninsured and underinsured residents, Fasano said.

"It's a great opportunity to build a shelter and house those evacuated for catastrophic events," Fasano said. "You hope that never happens, but this clinic will be open every day to provide health care in Pasco County."

County commission chairman Ted Schrader was pleased the county got dispensation.

"If you get to the point where it's almost cost-prohibitive to bring them up to the higher standards, then you may opt not to do it," Schrader said. "Cost is always a concern."

Reporter Julia Ferrante can be reached at jferrante@tampatrib.com or (813) 948-4220.

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