Jackson's tornado safe room at Civic Center

In the aftermath of Friday's deadly twisters that struck the Missouri Bootheel, Kentucky and Tennessee, Jackson city officials are reminding residents of the tornado safe room located inside the Jackson Civic Center at 381 E. Deerwood Drive.

The safe room, built in 2015 and opened in 2016, can hold a maximum of 1,190 people, according to information recently placed on the city's website.

"We had 16 individuals use the room Friday," said Jason Lipe, Civic Center manager, adding the safe room is also the center's nearly 10,000-square-foot gymnasium.

The safe room can withstand winds of up to 250 miles per hour -- which is within the range of speeds for an EF5 tornado, according to city officials.

The room, constructed in compliance with Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines, is reinforced with concrete and steel doors to protect against debris projectiles -- and "is intended to provide protection during a short-term extreme wind event such as a tornado."

No pets are permitted in the safe room although service animals will be allowed.

Additionally, drugs, with the exception of properly prescribed medication, are prohibited -- as are alcohol and weapons.

The City of Jackson said four events can trigger the opening of the Civic Center safe room.

• by request of the National Weather Service.
• by request of Cape Girardeau County Emergency Management.
• after Cape Girardeau County has been placed in a tornado watch status and severe weather is imminent.
• after a trained weather spotter in an adjoining county has located a funnel or wall cloud and movement is seen toward the Jackson area.

More information on the tornado safe room is available by calling the Jackson Civic Center at (573) 204-8848.