Texas County Memorial Hospital is hosting a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, for its new community safe room.
The structure has 4,000 square feet of climate-controlled space that can be utilized as a meeting space during non-threatening weather times. During threatening weather, the room is designed to withstand 250 mph winds for three seconds and to provide shelter for up to 462 patients, staff members and community residents. The safe room at the hospital also enhances the hospital’s capabilities for triage during times of mass casualty with a backup power supply.
Federal and state grant programs provided most of the funding for the safe room. The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded $873,689 in grant funds and $298,400 was awarded to the project through a Community Development Block Grant. The Missouri Development Finance Board allocated $250,000 in state credits to assist with raising the additional funds needed to for construction of the tornado safe room. The TCMH Healthcare Foundation has these tax credits available for donations received on the project through December.
Between the tornado safe room walls and the current hospital building, construction for a new surgery department is underway. The 7,000 square foot surgery department will include two operating rooms, an outpatient procedure room and larger pre- and post-operative patient care space.
Before the ribbon cutting, the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly luncheon at noon in the safe room. The luncheon will feature “Give Ozarks Day” with presentations by the TCMH Healthcare Foundation and the Houston Education Foundation.
The luncheon will dismiss shortly before 1 p.m. to allow time for chamber members to participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The safe room is on the south side of the hospital (closest to Walmart). Ample visitor parking is available on the south side of the building, near the safe room.