The City of Republic Office of Emergency Management has for many years partnered with local Churches to provide below grade refuge during severe weather. This partnership consists of the area churches volunteering their facilities to the public.
The volunteer refuge areas do not comply with FEMA 361 Design and Construction Guidance for Community Shelters. They do offer below grade refuge for a total of approximately 325 people housed in the three facilities.
These are volunteer facilities that are opened at the request of Republic Office of Emergency Management. The Republic OEM provides shelter coordinators to work as liaisons between the facilities and the City of Republic providing record keeping and a means of emergency communication. The Office of Emergency Management attempts to have these facilities open prior to activation of the Outdoor Notification System.
The best shelter for you and your family is in a FEMA approved safe-room or a commercial storm shelter, complying with FEMA guides, at your residence. The National Weather Service average time of advance warning of a tornado is only minutes and many times does not allow for any travel time to a refuge.
Citizens 
