FEMA P-361 Workshop
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
2016 Storm Shelter Conference
Sponsored By NSSA
Wednesday & Thursday, November 9 & 10, 2016
Embassy Suites Nashville Airport
10 Century Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37214
FEMA P-361 Workshop
Planning to attend the Storm Shelter Conference?
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2016 Storm Shelter Conference
NSSA Newsletters
JANUARY 2016 Issue 1
MARCH 2016 Spring Issue
JULY 2016 Summer Issue
Submitted: August 30, 2016
Prepare Fest
August 20, 2016
The City of Oklahoma City Office of Emergency Management in partnership with the Civic Center Music Hall and Oklahoma City Police and Fire Departments, hosted the city's first ever Disaster Preparedness Festival " Prepare Fest" on Saturday, August 20, 2016.
This FREE community festival was being set to inform and educate metro residents about the importance of disaster preparedness, and provide easy and practical how-to tips and resources.
The NSSA was ask to attend the event and to man a booth which they provided to the association. We ask Dirk DeRose a Producer Member of NSSA and owner of New Day Tornado Shelters, if he would host the event on our behalf. Dirk accepted our invitation and with NSSA materials we provided attended the Festival.
Dirk said the event had good attendance and he explained the purpose and work the NSSA was doing to those who approached his table. He was surprised that many people were not aware of the NSSA, but they were very pleased that such an organization exists and would use our resources.
The NSSA would like to thank Dirk for representing the NSSA at the event and we were pleased he got a chance to display New Day Shelter products and hope this turns into some clients for Dirk. Many of our Producers attend these community sponsored events and help spread the mission and goals of the NSSA, as well as the benefits of their shelters and the compliance verification process they undertake on behalf of public safety. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
Submitted: April 28, 2016
2016 Rowlett Prepare Fair
March 23, 2016
Extreme Storm Bunkers attends the 2016 Rowlett Prepare Fair put on by their “Community Emergency Response Team” (CERT). Rowlett is trying to encourage the community to become aware of pre/post- disaster resilience plans and steps to improve safety. Extreme Storm Bunker emphasized the need for safe rooms for tornado protection. Extreme Storm Bunkers also represented the NSSA with banners and handouts at the fair. The NSSA highly recommends that all our Producer Members look for opportunities to attend any type of community education for safe rooms or pre-disaster awareness. This supports our mission for public safety and generates invaluable recognition of your products.
Submitted April 27, 2016
Spring Weather Station Promotion
Protection Shelters a NSSA Producer Member out of Viola, Kansas, has become involved with a local weather station in presenting their annual spring awareness segment on tornado safety. This is an excellent community awareness initiative that many TV weather stations are always looking to put on in the spring at the beginning off tornado season. Vaughn Concrete Products a Producer Member with a Cheyenne, Wyoming office location has also participated with a local TV station weather segment on severe spring weather events. This is another example of bringing awareness to safe rooms and the NSSA.
https://www.facebook.com/Weatherguycbs5/videos/479922455542304/
Producer Members are missing a great opportunity if you do not try and contact the local news channels in your area. They are always pleased to present members of the NSSA that can give facts and information about looking for quality in a safe room design and installation. This will promote not only the NSSA and its mission of providing compliance for safe rooms, but will give your companies and products excellent visibility in the community. The NSSA is a member of “Weather Ready Nation” (WRN) and we suggest your companies join this National Weather Center initiative and display their logo on your website. When you give a presentation you can not only mention being a member of the NSSA but help support WRN, this brings national recognition to your companies.
Submitted: January 25, 2016
2016 NAHB International Builders' Show®, Las Vegas
January 19-21, 2016
Extreme Storm Bunkers (Producer Member) attended the NAHB International Builders Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 19-21, 2016. Ben Lively presented his company shelter(s) and represented the NSSA. We appreciate their efforts in representing our organization.
Thank You Extreme Storm Bunkers and Ben Lively!
We received this article entitled “After Tornadoes, Questions Raised Over Building Standards” written by Christopher Connelly with KERA News, after the Garland, Texas tornado outbreak. The NSSA believes that his article brings up some valid concerns that homeowners and our Members should be aware of.
The NSSA and its Producer Members can relate to the frustration that safe room manufacturers deal with regarding Standards and Guidelines. Even though the NSSA/ICC 500 Standard and FEMA 361 guidelines have been established for a number of years now and adopted by IBC (International Building Code), this does not mean that jurisdictions have adopted or enforce these codes or Standards.
NSSA Producer Members pledge to comply with these Standards and Guidelines, in order to ensure the homeowner that our Producer Members build safe and reliable safe rooms. We believe all safe room manufacturers should comply with the Standards and Guidelines, and are working towards encouraging jurisdictions to adopt the current Standard or IBC code and provide enforcement. In this respect, we would also encourage jurisdictions to adopt the latest 2015 IBC code for home building, especially regarding improvements to severe weather resilience.
http://keranews.org/post/after-tornadoes-questions-raised-over-building-standards
The NSSA Education and Outreach Foundation recently held its Board of Director's meeting at the 2015 NSSA Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. The foundation initiated the, Ernst "Ernie" Kiesling Honorary NSSA Legacy Fund. Legacy fund goals and development plans have been set forth with short and long term goals.
The website for the NSSA Education and Outreach Foundation has also been initated and we hope to have it up and running soon.
For further information regarding the foundation or if you would like donate to the foundation you may contact:
Richard Westerberg, Development Manager
PO Box 41166
Lubbock, TX 79409-1166
(806)834-2846
Submitted: November 13, 2015
Tara and David Hacket-Beach won first place on their submission to the History Fair entitled " Tornado Safe Rooms: Saving Lives and Houses in Tornado Alley: Dr. Kiesling, "Father of the Safe Room." Read their essay....
Submitted August 18, 2015
OKLAHOMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW
The NSSA is participating in the Oklahoma Emergency Management Conference and Trade Show this week in Norman, Oklahoma, August 18-20, 2015.
An indoor booth for information and an outdoor space for shelter exhibition has been acquired for NSSA. Mike Vaughn, President of NSSA and Tom Bennett are representing our organization this year.
We thank them for their efforts and dedication to NSSA and its members!
Submitted January 15, 2015
2015 NAHB International Builders' Show®, Las Vegas
2015 World of Concrete Show, Las Vegas
NSSA is participating as an industrial partner with the Portland Cement Association in storm shelter exhibits at the International Builders Show, January 2015 and the World of Concrete exhibit, February 2015, both in Las Vegas, Nevada. Donn Thompson, Associate Member of NSSA is directing the exhibits. Mike Vaughn is providing logistic support in placing and moving the storm shelter exhibits. NSSA literature will be distributed at both shows. Sponsors include FEMA, FLASH, Simpson Strong Tie, and Survive-a-Storm. Four site-built shelters following FEMA 320 designs will be exhibited along with two manufactured shelters, one by Vaughn Concrete, another by Survive-a-Storm.
Mike Vaughn is transporting manufactured shelters to and from Las Vegas and will move shelters from one exhibit to the other.