Army engineers from Mobile district complete tornado recovery projects in Selma

The Mobile District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced on Thursday that they have completed two recovery projects for a FEMA building in Selma that was damaged by an EF-2 tornado in 2023.

According to the announcement the tornado damaged the administrative building, which serves as a staging area for Transportable Temporary Housing Units or TTHUs. 

Two temporary warehouse structures were destroyed during the event. 

Afterwards the USACE launched an effort to create a new pre-engineered warehouse and provide a roof replacement on the main administrative building. Both were completed in June and November 2025. 

"Our partnership with FEMA is vital, and we are proud to have delivered these critical infrastructure improvements," said Nichole Grunenberg, Mobile District International and Interagency Services project manager. "These projects not only restore the operational capacity of the Selma site but also enhance its resilience against future weather events."

The pre-engineered warehouse is designed to withstand wind speeds up to 115 mph, "exceeding" standard building code requirements, according to the announcement.

"Initially, when I drove through Selma after the tornado, the damage and destruction were very apparent," Whiteside said. "Seeing the site now, compared to then, is incredible and speaks to the Mobile District's ability to respond and react to emergencies and then to deliver the projects to the customer."