(CNN) – In addition to hosting thousands of football fans, NFL stadiums are poised to become emergency response centers during weather disasters.
Under a new partnership between the NFL and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), four stadiums have so far been selected to open during hurricanes, tornadoes and floods, transforming them into shelters, staging areas, emergency hospitals and distribution centers.
The first stadiums in the agreement are MetLife (New York Jets and New York Giants), Lumen Field (Seattle Seahawks), Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Raymond James Stadium (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
Another stadium — SoFi Stadium, which is home to the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers — is under review for inclusion.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell called the plan a “groundbreaking opportunity” that other stadiums could join.
“Although we are starting with the NFL, all sports organizations and leagues can become assets for their communities, and I encourage them to join this collaborative effort as we confront the impacts of the climate crisis,” Criswell said in a statement.
Football stadiums have a history of serving as unofficial emergency hotspots. Most notably was the Superdome in New Orleans, which was used as a last-resort shelter during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, although conditions there quickly deteriorated when the stadium lost power and supplies ran out. Several stadiums also served as Covid-19 response centers at the height of the pandemic.
The NFL and FEMA jointly recognized the value—with proper planning and coordination—of America’s vast sports infrastructure in times of emergency. The NFL was the first to approach the federal government with the idea of opening its stadiums during extreme weather and other disasters.
“Stadiums are valuable community assets that are often used in times of disasters,” NFL security director Cathy Lanier said in a statement. “This designation reflects the role that many stadiums play, not only on Sundays, but especially in times of need.”
To be officially designated by the federal government as an emergency location, stadiums must be centrally located, close to major roads and health services such as hospitals, be accessible to people with disabilities, and be able to deploy food, water, and medical care quickly. .
