Decatur’s U.S. Storm Shelters is one of the local storm shelter vendors based in Wise County. Above is an example of their product.
Wise County residents still have time to save up to $3,000 on a new storm shelter through the county’s rebate program.
Applications for the Wise County Safe Room Rebate Program opened Feb. 2 with an allotment to issue 150 refunds. As of Feb. 18, approximately 40 spots were available, Wise County Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Cody Powell said.
Powell said the first installation through the program will take place Friday, Feb. 2o.
The program reimburses homeowners up to half the total cost to install a certified residential tornado shelter, with a maximum rebate of $3,000. It is administered by the Wise County OEM and funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The county fronts the cost of the reimbursement and collects payment from FEMA, which allows residents to take advantage of the savings earlier without having to wait on FEMA’s reimbursements, he explained.
The application and additional program information can be found at www.co.wise.tx.us. Applicants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis by the OEM. Applications may be delivered in person to 205 N. State St. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday or 8 a.m. to noon Fridays, or emailed to oem@co.wise.tx.us.
There are two local storm shelter vendors based in Wise County.
U.S. Storm Shelters, LLC in Decatur offers in-ground, concrete storm shelters that are FEMA compliant. The business is registered with the American Tornado Shelter Association and has been covering deposits on county reimbursement program orders. Rhome-based Turner Co. manufactures both tornado safe rooms—designed for installation in rooms and closets and anchored to the concrete foundation—and below-ground tornado shelters, including a model with 5-inch-thick walls.
Brett West, owner of U.S. Storm Shelters, actually decided to pursue the industry after moving to the Decatur area in 1999. After purchasing land, he and his wife moved into a mobile home on the property. West’s wife agreed to the move on one condition: “I had to install a tornado shelter,” West said.
From there, West got involved in the industry and eventually set off with his own business, which was formed in 2005. Since then, he’s installed shelters around the country. One took a direct hit from a EF-4 tornado in Tuscaloosa and remained intact.
That shelter had 19 people inside.
“And four dogs,” West added.
“In this business, we sell a product we hope people will never need,” he said.
About the Wise County Safe Room Program
To qualify for the program, the shelter must be FEMA compliant and meet guidelines in FEMA P-320. The rebate does not include any work done prior to acceptance into the program. Interior, exterior, above-ground and in-ground shelters are eligible.
To be eligible, the following criteria must be met:
- Primary Wise County residence.
- Single-family home.
- New safe rooms only.
- Must meet FEMA guidelines.
- Licensed contractor install.
- Application must be approved by Wise County to participate in the program.
- Must not be living in a FEMA 100-year floodplain.
- Approved applications have six months to complete installation.
The county received approval to offer the federal program in late 2025 after submitting its application in January 2022.
“If you’re interested, don’t wait until storm season,” Wise County OEM Emergency Planner Jennifer Klemke said, explaining that installations can often be delayed due to demand during tornado season in North Texas, which typically runs from late March into early June.
While most have not encountered issues with their applications, Klemke pointed out that a few applicants planned to install shelters on new homes under construction. She said that to qualify, the home must be the applicant’s current, primary residence.
For questions, contact the Wise County Office of Emergency Management at 940-627-5870, option 3.
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