Community wind shelters: background and research

A wind shelter is an interior room or other space within a building, or even an entire separate structure, that is designed and constructed to protect its occupants from high winds, usually those associated with tornadoes or hurricanes. Wind shelters are intended to provide protection against both wind forces and the impact of windborne debris. Wind shelters typically fall into two categories: (1) residential safe rooms or shelters and (2) community shelters.  Community shelters and residential safe rooms and shelters are alike in that they are intended to provide protection only during a short-term, high-wind event (i.e., an event that lasts no more than 36 hours, such as a tornado or hurricane). In other ways, however, they are quite different. This brochure focuses on community shelters.