WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Harrison County School District has been awarded $1.9 million to continue retrofitting facilities to survive hurricane-force winds.
U.S. Senator Thad Cochran released said the hazard mitigation grant approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the district to continue the initiative for roof hardening at the Harrison Central High School in Gulfport.
“The Harrison County schools have worked diligently since Hurricane Katrina to ensure that their facilities can withstand destructive winds. I am pleased that FEMA is continuing to provide resources to carry out this preventative work,” Cochran, who is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee with funding jurisdiction over FEMA, said.
The grant of $1.8 million is combined with $95,176 in nonfederal funding.
The Wind Retrofit Project involves 18 campuses, which are often used as “shelters of last resort” during emergencies. They are designed to withstand winds of up to 180 mph.
In total FEMA has contributed more than $14.1 million to the district’s retrofit initiative.
