MORGANTOWN, Ky. — It is no secret Kentucky is prone to severe weather, from tornadoes to flooding. One mayor has proposed an idea designed to keep rural Kentuckians safer during those natural disasters. 

What You Need To Know

  • One mayor has proposed an idea designed to keep rural Kentuckians safer during severe weather 

  • Morgantown Mayor Billy Phelps said he would like to create neighborhood storm shelters

  • This would integrate shelters throughout rural counties on homeowners' properties and at apartment complexes

  • The homeowner or landlord would pay up to $5,000, while the state would pay an additional $5,000 to cover the cost

“We used to average between 21 to 24 tornadoes per year,” said State Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield. “But for the first five months of this year, we’ve already had 39.” 

Morgantown Mayor Billy Phelps said he wants to improve protection for those types of natural disasters by creating neighborhood storm shelters. 

“The only way to protect people from tornadoes is, really, in a storm shelter,” Phelps said. 

The project he is proposing would integrate storm shelters throughout rural counties on homeowners’ properties and at apartment complexes, who would consent to allow people to gather there during severe weather.

If a homeowner or landlord wants one on their property, they would have to sign an agreement allowing nearby Kentuckians to use it when severe weather occurs. 

The homeowner or landlord would pay up to $5,000, while the state would pay an additional $5,000 to cover the cost. The shelters would be much smaller and would protect nearby neighbors.

“That’s the idea,” Phelps said. “It’s not just for one family; it’s to help neighborhoods and areas around the state, that mass storm shelters (don’t) help.”

Meredith added this would also keep people from traveling miles down the road during a tornado to seek shelter. They could instead find one right in their own neighborhood.

“The issue in rural Kentucky is, are you really going to get in your car and drive to a location when you know that a tornado is on the ground or on the way?” Meredith said. 

If Phelps’ proposal passes this coming legislative session, he said legislators will fund the project by using money that is already allocated for larger shelters.

“We want to put more storm shelters throughout the counties than what one mass storm shelter can do,” he said. 

In addition to the proposed smaller shelters, large storm shelters are still widely available to be used.

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