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Safe room · Build, equip and conceal · secure-9

Build, inspect and label the room

Build exactly to the stamped drawings. Changes on site are a common reason safe rooms fail.

How

  1. Use a builder experienced in reinforced concrete or masonry. FEMA notes nobody may claim a product or contractor is 'FEMA approved' or 'FEMA certified', so ask for test reports and past projects instead.
  2. Book the inspections your permit requires, including any special inspection of anchors.
  3. Install the tested door assembly exactly as the maker's installation instructions say.
  4. Keep copies of drawings, door test labels and inspection records with your home documents.
  5. Keep the room clear of clutter. FEMA advises this so people can enter quickly and are not hurt by falling objects.

Do these first

Sources

  1. Residential Safe Room fact sheet. FEMA, accessed 2026-11
  2. FEMA P-320 Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room for Your Home or Small Business (6th ed., 2nd issuance). US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), accessed 2026-11
  3. Safe Rooms and Storm Shelters (Building America Solution Center). US DOE / Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, accessed 2026-11

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