Nearly two dozen tornadoes strike Indiana every year. Most of the storms occur during the spring and summer months, but tornadoes can happen almost any time with little to no warning. Situated along the eastern flank of Tornado Alley, Indiana is a common stomping ground for killer tornadoes. Like other midwestern states to its west, Indiana is predominantly flat and is located at a common intersection of colliding air masses from the north and south that spawn mammoth tornadoes. FEMA approved tornado shelters and undergrounds are the only true protection against tornadoes, but not everyone can afford one. To offset the financial burden, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security Residential Safe Room Program was created in 2015. Folks in the Hoosier State now have until April 15 to submit an application to the program, which will pay the full cost for a safe room up front and then reimburse homeowners for up to 75 percent, with a maximum of $5,000. The Indiana Safe Room Rebate Program could be your best option in securing funding for safe room, so don’t delay!
The Rebate Program Does NOT Include Previously Installed Safe Rooms or Safe Rooms Currently Under Construction
The program uses a random selection process to pick the names, as a type of lottery to determine winners. The safe rooms may be installed in a new or existing home, either in an interior room or garage on the first floor, underground on the first floor, as a detached above-ground or underground safe room and within 100 feet of the home. The safe room should be readily accessible to all occupants wherever it is installed. Homeowners selected to receive the rebate may not design, build or install the safe room themselves.
Upon Completion, Safe Room Owners Must Provide the Following:
- The signed “Certificate of Installation”
- A local or state building permit and local zoning permit (if required)
- Proof of local or state final building inspection (if required)
- Contractor invoice and proof of payment in full
- Latitude and longitude for the location of the safe room, accurate to +/- 64 feet
- Before and after photos of the safe room construction site with sufficient background scenery to verify the safe room location on the property
Choosing the Right Manufacturer Can Mean the Difference in Life and Death
As you have already read, the Indiana Safe Room Rebate Program comes with some serious caveats. You can’t build the shelter or design it yourself, which means you need to partner with a trusted manufacturer who has decades of experience manufacturing and installing customized safe rooms and storm shelters. Our safe rooms are customizable from a small 4×6 shelter up to a community shelter that can safeguard one hundred people. These structures are hand-welded and feature secure multi-point locking doors with many unique door and interior finishing options available.
Above Ground Safe Room Features and Benefits
- Customizable to any size, to accommodate any number of people
- Quick construction and cost-effective installation
- Units can be installed by a professional or D.I.Y.
- Provides Protection against burglary
- Provides Protection against natural disasters
- Provides Protection for your valuables
- Provides Protection for family, neighbors, employees, and coworkers
- Peace of mind
Designed, engineered, and manufactured to FEMA 320, FEMA 361, and ICC 500 Standards. Our storm shelters were tested and certified by Texas Tech National Wind Institute in strict accordance to FEMA 320 (2014), FEMA 361 (2015), and ICC-500 (2014) standards for wind rated impact of 250 mph ground speed tornado events.
