The NFL on Wednesday announced it was working with FEMA to designate four NFL stadiums as emergency shelters during extreme weather events.
"Stadiums are valuable community assets that are often used in times of disasters," NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier said of Mission Ready Venues, a public private partnership that designates the way an NFL stadium could be used in an emergency.
"This designation reflects the role that many stadiums play, not only on Sundays, but especially in times of need. We are proud to work with FEMA and first responders at the local and state level to ensure disaster response agencies have the information and tools they need to help a community recover when disaster strikes," he added.
The first stadiums to receive the designation are MetLife Stadium, home to the New York Jets and New York Giants in East Rutherford, N.J.; Lumen Field, home to the Seattle Seahawks; Acrisure Stadium, home to the Pittsburgh Steelers; and Raymond James Stadium, home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
SoFi Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, is under review.
The stadiums can serve the public in a variety of ways, including emergency shelters, staging areas, commodity distribution sites, evacuation pick-up points, disaster recovery centers, mass vaccination and testing, and temporary hospitals.
FEMA and the NFL are enlisting the support of venue owners, operators, and the tenants of these facilities to work with government officials in the planning and preparation for emergency or disaster response and recovery efforts.
To receive an official Mission Ready Venue designation, venues must undergo a comprehensive assessment to determine what capabilities the venue may be able to support in emergency and disaster response and recovery efforts.
Mission Ready Venue designations are for five-year increments with a yearly check-in to ensure continued readiness of the venue. Redesignation will be necessary every five years and designation does not supersede any agreements with state, local or private sector entities.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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