One of the more enduring images from the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was scores of people flocking to the Superdome in New Orleans seeking safety and shelter from the storm.
While the home of the NFL’s Saints provided a respite from the storm and gave thousands of displaced residents a place to stay, the stadium was considered a last resort for people and lacked the proper supplies to assist hundreds of people and the management staff at the Superdome were unprepared for the masses.
As hurricane season continues, the NFL and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced a partnership that will turn stadiums into temporary shelters, hospitals or other needed venues as needed. It will also put disaster plans in place to avoid some of the issues that occurred during Katrina at the Superdome.
The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding that would make the stadiums available year-round. The agreement states that the stadiums can be used for staging generators or command-and-control centers as needed.
A FEMA official said to The Washington Post that the cost of operating the stadiums as temporary shelters during a federal disaster would be determined between local, state and government officials.
According to The Post, four venues have already signed on: MetLife Stadium where the New York Giants and Jets play; Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers; Lumen Field in Seattle, home of the Seahawks; and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, home of the Buccaneers. Other stadiums are expected to commit in the coming weeks.
Dave Lubach is executive editor of the facilities market.
