CHRISTIAN COUNTY, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Christian County Fiscal Court has begun consulting with engineering companies regarding the future development of multiple tornado shelters.
During the Oct. 8 Fiscal Court Meeting, Pennyrile Area District Development Director Amy Frogue explained to the magistrates that by approving a presented document, they could move forward in negotiations with proposed engineers and begin phase 2.
“The shelters are important to give Christian County residents a safe haven from tornadoes that are built to FEMA standards for protection against tornadoes,” Randy Graham with Christian County Emergency Management told Christian County Now.
13 tornado shelters would be developed, six of them having the capacity to hold 500 people per shelter, and seven of them holding 150 people per shelter. These would be scattered throughout the county, so each city has access in the case of an emergency. There is already a storm shelter in Crofton that can hold 500 people and withstand a direct hit from an E-5 tornado.
Graham previously shared details about the grant money paying for the shelters at a Fiscal Court meeting in April 2024. Altogether, FEMA allocated around $70 million to Kentucky counties after the tornados in December of 2021. $1.3 million was awarded to Christian County to build 13 storm shelters around the county.
This is the first phase of the process, with construction plans moving forward at a later date after engineering plans are approved. The Fiscal Court magistrates unanimously approved moving forward with negotiations.
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