OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A bipartisan group of Oklahoma lawmakers is teaming up with several businesses to start a fund to build safe rooms or underground shelters in public schools across the state.
Flanked by business leaders and school officials from Moore, legislators announced Thursday they had created and launched a nonprofit group called Shelter Oklahoma Schools to help fund the effort.
Houston-based energy company Apache Corp. already announced a $500,000 donation to start the program, and on Thursday Apache CEO Steven Farris said the company was offering another $500,000 to match additional donations.
Emergency officials have estimated it costs between $600,000 and $1 million to outfit a school with one classroom-sized safe room. Oklahoma has more than 1,600 public schools.