4 NFL stadiums designated by FEMA as extreme weather shelters, disaster response sites

Four NFL stadiums across the country have been designated extreme weather shelters and disaster response sites by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The stadiums are MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, home of the New York Jets and New York Giants; Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks; Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers; and Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Given the size, capabilities and locations of large sports venues, these existing community assets can serve the public in a variety of ways including emergency shelters, staging areas, commodity distribution sites, evacuation pickup points, disaster recovery centers, mass vaccination and testing, temporary hospitals and more,” the NFL said in a release.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said the agency saw how during large-scale emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, stadiums can serve the community.

“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,” Criswell said in a statement.

FEMA said the four NFL stadiums are just a start and that sports organizations and their venues across the country can become an asset to their community.

NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier said the FEMA designation reflects the role that stadiums and venues play in communities, “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,” Lanier said in a statement.

The stadiums have undergone a “comprehensive assessment” to determine how they will support the community in an emergency. The designations are given out in five-year increments and have a yearly check to ensure they stand ready to serve.