Many long-time residents of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, vividly remember how Hurricane Camille’s fury resulted in numerous deaths and widespread destruction in 1969, closing schools for weeks.  Learning from experience, administrators of Ocean Springs Middle School vowed to develop techniques to reduce the loss of life and property in future disasters. With partial funding from FEMA, the school installed permanent wind-resistant shutters on vulnerable classroom windows to help protect against strong winds charging in from the Gulf of Mexico.  

When Hurricane Katrina made landfall on August 29, 2005, registering winds of up to 104 miles per hour, the shutters performed exceptionally well.  They shielded windows from wind-borne objects and also protected the contents inside the building.  

Without shutters, a window may be easily breeched by hurricane winds.  This creates tremendous upward pressure which may cause major roof failure, exposing the interior of the building to the storm.

After Hurricane Katrina, Ocean Springs Middle School remained intact and operational, unlike many public buildings in the city which were severely damaged and uninhabitable.  In fact, the school served as a disaster command center immediately following the storm and later as a shelter for families who had lost their homes.