FEMA 361 Groundbreaking ceremony (with video)

Dignitaries from several federal and state agencies, the Copiah County Board of Supervisors, Rep. Bennie Thompson and representatives of private contracting firms all met at a recently-bushhogged field at the end of Epps Lane in Gallman today to turn ground on a new facility that will serve Copiah County.

The FEMA 361 Safe Room will be built on the spot and covers about 8 acres.  Under roof will be around 13,000 sq. ft. of space for offices and sheltering rooms.  The facility will serve Copiah Countians during times of disaster, such as when Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005.

Construction on the shelter will begin in the next few weeks.  The price tag will be around $3.3 million and will be funded through the FEMA 361 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

  Read more in next week’s print edition of the Copiah County Courier.