is a 1999 escort sedan an interferance engine? if timing belt breaks will the engine be shot?

No. It is not an interference engine. If they belt breaks a valve won't go through a piston. You have the SOHC 2.0 SPI?? The only engines that were interference were the 1st generation scorts from 1981 to 1990. The second generation from 1991 to 1996 and the third generation from 1997 to 2002 and the Zx2's with DOHC were all noninterference engines.