The Carthage R-9 School District has one community safe room available in the event of severe weather. The location is:

Carthage Junior High School
827 E Centennial
Carthage, MO 64836

Severe weather season never seems to end in Southwest Missouri. Unfortunately, severe weather seems to intensify as spring weather patterns develop.

As a reminder, Carthage Junior High School is the only community shelter in Carthage. The shelter is available 24 hours per day/seven days per week when a tornado warning is issued, even during school hours. Additional information can be found on our district website under the Community tab.

Please remember the other school storm shelters are not available during school hours as the shelter occupancy levels were designed only for students and staff.

However, storm shelters at Columbian Elementary, Carthage Intermediate Center, and Pleasant Valley Elementary will be open for public use during non-school hours. Hopefully, providing shelter opportunities to four areas of the community will provide quicker access to a safe area.

Contact Dr. Holley Goodnight (359-7000) or Don Cox (359-7085) for more information.

The maximum capacity for the community safe room is 2079.

• During School hours, students and staff have priority for Safe Room occupancy.
• The Safe Room is open only to the public when a tornado warning or a severe weather event with winds in excess of 75 mph has been issued in our area an d/or the tornado sirens have been sounded.
• The Safe room will remain open only until the watch and/or warning is lifted.  When the watch and/or warning expires, the Safe Room must be evacuated.
• During school hours, a Safe Room Manager is in charge and will be on duty to maintain the facility and to close it after the watch and/or warning expires.  After school hours a volunteer Safe Room
• Supervisor will be in charge.  Please follow the directions of the Safe Room Manager/Supervisor or other school personnel at all times.
• Weapons are prohibited in the Safe Room and on all school property.
• Smoking or the use of tobacco in any form is prohibited in Safe Rooms and on all school property.
• Alcohol and drugs (other than those prescribed by a doctor) are prohibited in Safe Rooms and on all school property.
• As per FEMA guidelines, no animals are allowed in Community Safe Rooms.
• Radios or music devices may be used only with individual earphones.
• Safe Room doors must be closed at all times.