Storm Shelter Site Built Design Engineer

June, 2019

Considering that over 1,000 tornadoes are recorded each year in the US, Jezerinac Geers is proud that Stan Fuller, PE, a principal of our firm, is now designated as a “site built design engineer” by the National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA).

The NSSA states, “Site Built Design Engineer Members are registered professional engineers who design site built Residential and Community/Commercial safe rooms. Site Built Design Engineers demonstrated knowledge of and have experience with the application of the ICC/NSSA 500 Standards, FEMA P-361 guidelines and IBC building codes that apply to Residential and Community/Commercial safe room design.”

“With the Ohio Building Code changes in 2017, we thought it was important to embrace this new element because that’s what we do as structural engineers – keep the public safe. Since the updated requirements, we’ve had the opportunity to design several storm shelters and the resources of the NSSA have been a significant help,” said Fuller.

The growing list of projects that include storm shelters where Jezerinac Geers has provided structural engineering services, include:

• The Fayette County Adult Detention Facility and Sheriff’s Administration Office

• The Warren County Detention Facility and Sheriff’s Office

• Columbus Fire Station #16

• Arcanum, Ohio, Municipal Building

• Kettering Police Department Addition and Renovation

(Photo by Nikolas Noonan on Unsplash)