‍BOTHELL, Wash – Stadiums and venues provide a central and accessible location to help communities respond to extreme weather crises, providing safe storage and shelter in times of need. With these events becoming more frequent, severe, and expensive, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier today announced that Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, home of the Seahawks, will be among the first NFL venues to be designated as a Mission Ready Venue that can be used during response and recovery missions. Through Mission Ready Venues, a public-private partnership, Lumen Field will increase its capabilities to better sustain public safety and be a source of support for the community they serve. The designation identifies the ways Lumen Field could be used for response and recovery activities during declared emergencies or disasters.

“The Seahawks and Lumen Field are proud to be one of the first NFL stadiums to be designated a Mission Ready Venue,” said Zach Hensley, Seattle Seahawks Vice President of Operations and General Manager of Lumen Field. “A commitment to community is fundamental to our organization, and the unique attributes that allow us to host more than two million guests each year can be an invaluable resource to the larger Pacific Northwest region in times of need.”

“During large-scale emergencies, like the COVID-19 pandemic, hurricanes, or tornados, we’ve seen how large music, sports and entertainment venues can serve as a safe space for communities,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “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. While we are starting with the NFL, all venues across sports organizations and leagues can become assets to their communities, and I encourage them to join in this collaborative effort as we grapple with the impacts of the climate crisis.”

“I’m pleased to have Lumen Field designated as a Mission Ready Venue,” said FEMA Region 10 Administrator Willie G. Nunn. “In a time of crisis, it’s important that we all work together and look at all options to support disaster survivors. Lumen Field is well-known in our community as a place to congregate for Seahawks games and other community events. When a large disaster strikes, it’s great to know that Lumen Field can play a pivotal role in helping our community.”

“Stadiums are valuable community assets that are often used in times of disasters,” said NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier. “This designation reflects the role that many stadiums play, 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.”

According to the NYU School of Professional Studies and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, stadiums and arenas can improve the public health and well-being of their communities —including pandemic response during COVID-19.

“Seattle is proud that Lumen Field is designated as a disaster response and recovery venue,” said Curry Mayer, Director, Seattle Office of Emergency Management. “Lumen Field was successfully used as a mass vaccination site during the COVID pandemic. Lumen has all the amenities needed to serve the public and is easily accessible for Seattle’s communities.”

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 pick up points, disaster recovery centers, mass vaccination and testing, temporary hospitals and more. FEMA and the NFL recognized this unique opportunity for collaboration and are enlisting the support of venue owners, operators, and the tenants of these facilities to work with government officials in the planning and preparation for emergency or disaster response and recovery efforts.  To receive an official Mission Ready Venue designation, venues must undergo a comprehensive assessment to determine what capabilities the venue may be able to support in emergency and disaster response and recovery efforts. The designation highlights the following attributes of selected venues:

• Provide Safety and Security: Stadiums are usually centrally located, close to major roadways and transportation hubs, and critical services like hospitals. If used to respond to a disaster, the designation will save valuable time and resources and will further enhance coordination between the public and private sectors during disaster response and recovery.
• Provide Accessibility: Stadiums are also compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act and can support persons with disabilities and others with access or functional needs. Additionally, 73% of NFL venues are accessible by mass transportation. This provides an avenue to promote equitable service to underserved populations to access potentially critical lifesaving/life sustaining services after an event.
• Strengthen Community Resilience: Stadiums and arenas are a focal point of communities and help strengthen social networks by enhancing connections between residents with home team pride. These Mission Ready Venues can boost morale amidst disaster. By providing a more robust and resilient environment, these venues can enhance social networks amongst survivors while providing ample opportunities to establish connections with the venue’s main tenants.
• Ensure Unity of Effort: Coordination of stadium resources and services can support survivors and responders and help stabilize an incident quickly. Since stadiums are fixed locations, resources and services can be deployed quickly. This promotes the community’s physical and economic recovery.

Mission Ready Venue designations are for five-year increments with a yearly check-in to ensure continued readiness of the venue. Redesignation will be necessary every five years and designation does not supersede any agreements with state, local or private sector entities.

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