NATCHEZ — After six years and $3.4 million, Natchez and Adams County officials cut the ribbon on the Adams County Community Safe Room.

The safe room, a 10,000-square foot building, is built to house between 50 and 700 people for two to 24 hours during an “extreme wind event,” Adams County Emergency Management Director Robert Bradford said, calling the building a “vital part” of Adams County’s disaster mitigation plan.

The building is designed to withstand the force of an EF5 tornado.

Former Emergency Management Director Stan Owens said he has personally seen the neighboring Steckler multi-purpose building packed with people seeking refuge from a storm.

“At that time, we forced those individuals into a facility that was never intended for that purpose,” he said.

“(The new building) only has to save one life to make it worth every penny and effort.”

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Robert Latham said that, while it’s been a few years since a major storm hit Mississippi, buildings such as the safe room are a key part of planning for the inevitable.

“If we wait until then, we lose the battle,” he said.

The Adams County safe room is one of 92 that have been or are in the process of being built statewide, Latham said.

“This program has increased our shelter capacity tremendously,” he said.

As part of the ribbon cutting ceremony, the officials designated the building as the Louis Gunning Safe Room, honoring the late long-time director of the Natchez Stewpot.

“I don’t think it can be named more appropriately,” District 1 Supervisor Mike Lazarus said. “How many people did he help weather a storm when they needed a meal?”

After the dedication, Gunning’s son, Joseph Gunning, said his father would have only accepted the honor by downplaying his own role and saying he felt his work at the Stewpot was part of a calling to serve “his Lord Jesus Christ.”

“He would not have accepted this for himself,” Joseph Gunning said. “He would have told you he was one of many volunteers in Natchez-Adams County.”

The shelter was built by AEDD-plus, and $3.2 million of the total funds came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Most of Adams County’s portion of the costs were made in in-kind contributions.