Kirkwood High School

Project Details

Kirkwood High School’s New Wing Designed as a FEMA-Rated Storm Shelter

According to the Missouri Senate HB 416, school districts need “a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan addressing the use of school resources in the event of a natural disaster or other community emergency.” For Kirkwood High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, meeting that criteria was as easy as adding a well-designed wing.

Built of masonry, the new wing provides a Welcome Center with a main office access point through a secure vestibule entrance. There are 10 classrooms for Culinary Arts, Fashion Design, and Computer Technology, and it doubles as a storm shelter for students and staff during emergencies, an attribute more schools are adding.

Winco offers a complete line of FEMA-rated window products with Low-E capabilities to enhance aesthetics such as daylighting and ventilation. Unlike similar competitive products, Winco windows are designed with the installer in mind for easy installation. They are made of high-performance aluminum, thermally broken, and arrive factory-glazed—no need for field construction.

For the Kirkwood High School wing, Winco supplied its FEMA 361 - ICC 500 window series, featuring a sturdy frame and impact-resistant laminated glass. The 3-1/2” deep, 1/8” thick frame can withstand 250mph winds with flying debris impact testing of a 15-pound 2x4 traveling at 100mph. All of the main floor windows meet ICC 500 code specifications for storm shelters, an enforceable standard that is required, whereas FEMA P-361 is a best practices guideline with storm shelter design recommendations.

Winco is proud to supply safe and secure windows for student and staff member safety at Kirkwood High School and other schools like it throughout the U.S.