NOAA’s National Weather Service has recognized Union County as a StormReady county. The StormReady program helps community leaders and residents prepare for hazardous weather and flooding. Storm Ready sites have made a strong commitment to implement plans and resources in an effort to save lives and protect property when severe weather strikes.
“Union County Emergency Management has taken proactive steps to plan and prepare for weather impacts in an effort to help build a Weather-Ready Nation,” said Kelsey Angle, National Weather Service warning coordination meteorologist.
The nationwide community preparedness program uses a grassroots approach to help communities and organizations develop plans to handle local severe weather and flooding threats. The voluntary program started in 1999. There are now more than 2,350 StormReady communities across the country working to build a Weather-Ready Nation.
To be recognized as StormReady, an organization must:
• have access to a 24-hour warning point and an emergency operations center
• have more than one way to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings and to alert the public
• monitor local weather conditions
• promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars
• develop a formal hazardous weather plan and hold emergency exercises
The StormReady recognition will be in effect for three years, then Union County Emergency Management will go through a renewal process.
The National Weather Service is working with its partners to build a Weather-Ready Nation to support community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather. Visit the Des Moines NWS office website, follow them on Twitter @NWSDesMoines and on Facebook.