FEMA partners with NFL to transform stadiums into emergency shelters

"During large-scale emergencies, like the COVID-19 pandemic, hurricanes, or tornados, we've seen how large music, sports and entertainment venues can serve as a safe space for communities. This new strategy we're launching with the NFL is a groundbreaking opportunity to help our partners use these venues for emergency response and recovery needs, while keeping communities safe and making them more resilient. While we are starting with the NFL, all venues across sports organizations and leagues can become assets to their communities, and I encourage them to join in this collaborative effort as we grapple with the impacts of the climate crisis,"  said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. 

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Mission Ready Ventures

These Mission Ready Venues will serve various functions, including emergency shelters, staging areas, distribution sites for supplies, evacuation points, disaster recovery centers, mass vaccination sites, and temporary hospitals during emergencies. The NFL expressed its commitment to collaborating with FEMA and first responders to assist during disasters. As of now, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles is under consideration for the Mission Ready Venue designation.

Hurricane Helene

This announcement comes just days before Hurricane Helene struck northwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm, resulting in over 100 fatalities and extensive damage across the southeastern U.S. Helene marks the third hurricane to impact the Big Bend region within the past 13 months.

Stadiums have historically played vital roles in disaster scenarios. During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, many people sought refuge in the Superdome, which later led to the evacuation of some to the Astrodome in Houston due to damage. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, NFL stadiums transformed into mass vaccination sites, administering over a million vaccine doses.