Foley, Ala. — (OBA) — First responders will soon have a secure place to ride out major hurricanes while staying ready to help the community. The Foley City Council has approved plans for a hardened safe room designed to protect police, fire and emergency personnel during severe weather. The facility will allow crews to deploy quickly once storms pass. City officials expect the building to be ready before the 2027 hurricane season begins.

The council voted Monday, Oct. 6, to seek construction bids for the project. City Administrator Mike Thompson said the city hopes to select a contractor in November with mobilization planned for early to mid-January. The construction timeline is 14 to 16 months, which means the safe room should be completed in time for the 2027 hurricane season.

The 10,000-square-foot facility will accommodate up to 200 people and withstand winds of 200 miles per hour. It'll be equipped with a 400-kilowatt generator that runs on natural gas or diesel, plus kitchen facilities to support extended stays during emergencies.

Thompson said the building will serve double duty throughout the year as a training center for exercises and classes when it's not needed for storm response.

FEMA is covering most project costs through a grant. Foley officials started working with the federal agency after Hurricane Sally hammered the Alabama Gulf Coast in 2020, highlighting the need for resilient facilities that keep emergency workers safe and operational during disasters.

The safe room will be built on city property on North Poplar Street, just north of the Public Works campus currently under construction and south of East Berry Avenue. The location clusters key city operations for faster response and recovery.

Once bids come in, the city will review contractors based on their experience with hurricane-resistant construction, their proposed timeline and costs. Construction should begin in early to mid-January with completion targeted for spring 2027, well ahead of that year's hurricane season.

City officials say the project reflects hard lessons learned over the past few years about maintaining emergency operations during extended power outages and storm damage. The purpose-built facility reduces risks for first responders while bringing training and emergency response under one roof.