South Dakota City Gets Grant for Community Storm Shelter

The city of Faith, S.D., is using an $800,000 grant to build a community safe room that can serve as a public shelter against severe storms.

The funding comes through the Hazard Mitigation Grant program.

The city’s application for the safe room notes that Faith typically experiences at least two extreme wind events a year. In the past 30 years, storms have caused 40 reported injuries and more than $8 million in property and crop damage.

Citizens in the past took shelter at the school, but that structure was condemned in 2004 and torn town. The new shelter with be able to hold 875 people.