Consensus Committee on Storm Shelters
(IS-STM)
IS-STM is the Consensus Committee on Storm Shelters
IS-STM is the Consensus Committee on Storm Shelters, responsible for maintaining ICC/NSSA 500 – Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters (ICC 500).
Abstract: The scope of this standard is to provide minimum design and construction requirements for storm shelters that provide a safe refuge from storms that produce high winds, hurricanes and tornadoes. This Standard provides technical design and performance criteria that will facilitate and promote the design, construction, and installation of safe, reliable, and economical storm shelters to protect the public. It is intended that this Standard be used by design professionals; storm shelter designers, manufacturers, and constructors; building officials; emergency management personnel and government officials to ensure that storm shelters provide a consistently high level of protection to the sheltered public.
Background (Needs Statement): Hurricanes and tornadoes generate high winds that produce wind pressures on buildings and structures and that create flying debris at levels and intensities than are higher than those for which most commercial building and residences are designed. The magnitude of the wind speeds associated with these storms are such that building occupants and residents are required to evacuate the area or seek protection in a shelter designed for resistance to extraordinary loads and flying debris. This standard provides design requirements for the main wind-resisting structural system and components and cladding of these shelters, and provides basic occupant life safety and health requirements for these shelters, including means of egress, lighting, sanitation, ventilation, fire safety and minimum required floor space for occupants.
Governed by CP-12A
Committee Overview
STATUS
Active
MEETING INFO
IS-STM Meeting Notices
MEMBERSHIP
IS-STM Roster
DOCUMENTS
IS-STM Documents
SECRETARIAT
Kim Paarlberg, Secretariat
2026.07.09 | ICC 500 meeting for development of the 2026 edition
The ICC 500 committee will be meeting every two weeks on Wednesdays, 11am to 1 pm Eastern. Dates are July 29, August 12, 26, Sept. 9, 23, Oct. 7, 2026.
The meetings are open to the public and interested parties may participate on any work groups created by the committee to develop the technical content of the standard. Please contact the secretariat if you have any questions. Add your name to the interested party sign up to receive future meeting invites and notices of public review postings.
2026.07.07 | ICC 500 2026 edition pathway forward
The ICC Board of Directors met in April 2026 to appoint new members to the development committee.
The IS-STM committee meets periodically to review public comments as part of the continuous maintenance status of the standard. Notice for public comment was posted in the January 31, 2025 of ANSI Standards Action.
Program for Periodic Publication
| January (ANS Approval year)* | Solicit requests for change from committee and public. Allow at least two months to submit. Also solicit for new committee members. |
| By end of March (year +1) | Deadline for requests for change. |
| First meeting (year +1) (usually April) | Review new requests for change including any deferred from previous review cycles and agree on which to propose (with or without change) for formal ballot and public review, which to reject and which to defer to the next review cycle. |
| By mid-Aug (year +1) | Document first meeting results and put proposals for change on 6-week ballot and public review. |
| By end of Sept (year +1) | Ballot and public review over. |
| Second meeting (year +1) (usually November) | Review ballot and public review results and respond to comments. If needed and as time permits, begin working on any deferred requests for following year’s revision cycle. |
The 2023 Edition is available for public comment and is available for free view under ICC's Digital Codes. The Code Council accepts public comments as part of the continuous maintenance to develop the next edition. Please submit public comments using the online portal at https://form.jotform.com/Code_Apps/ICC-Public_Comments The staff secretariat will arrange comments in an agenda for committee consideration and announce any future committee meetings.
Two presentations were provided for the ICC 500 committee members and interested parties.
Dr. Dan Cox provided a presentation on ASCE 7-22 Supplement Overview of proposed revisions to Chapter 5 Flood Loads. The recording of the presentation is available here.
Dr. Marc Levitan provided a presentation on ASCE 7-22 Overview of Tornado Loads. The recording of the presentation is available here.