NOAA’S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DECLARES VIRGINIA BEACH, VA., STORMREADY

Officials from NOAA’s National Weather Service today praised the emergency management team of the city of Virginia Beach, Va., for completing a set of rigorous criteria necessary to earn the distinction of being declared StormReady.

“Virginia Beach becomes the fourth Hampton Roads community to earn the StormReady designation,” said Bill Sammler, warning coordination meteorologist of the National Weather Service forecast office in Wakefield, Va., which serves the Hampton Roads area. “Through StormReady, the city of Virginia Beach will be better prepared to help protect the lives and property of its citizens during severe weather events.”

StormReady encourages communities to take a proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness. The nationwide community preparedness program uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle local severe weather and flooding threats. The program is voluntary, and provides communities with clear-cut advice from a partnership between local National Weather Service offices and state and local emergency managers.

StormReady started in 1999 with seven communities in the Tulsa, Okla., area. There are now more than 960 StormReady communities in 48 states. Virginia Beach is the ninth Virginia community to be declared StormReady.

During the Virginia Beach city council meeting this evening, National Weather Service officials presented a StormReady recognition plaque and special StormReady signs to county emergency preparedness officials. The StormReady recognition will be in effect for three years, at which time the county will go through a renewal process.

“Every year, around 500 Americans lose their lives to severe weather and floods,” said Brig. Gen. David L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), director of NOAA's National Weather Service. “More than 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 2,500 floods and 1,000 tornadoes impact the United States annually, and hurricanes are a threat to the Gulf and East Coasts. Potentially deadly weather can affect everyone in the country. That’s why NOAA's National Weather Service developed the StormReady program.”

To be recognized as StormReady, a community must:

“The United States is the most severe weather prone region of the world,” Sammler said. “The mission of the National Weather Service is to reduce the loss of life and property from these storms, and StormReady helps us create better prepared communities throughout the country.”

“Just like communities, families need to be storm ready by having an action plan for severe weather. The StormReady program helps the National Weather Service and local government work together to educate Americans about what to do when severe weather strikes. Ultimately, it is each individual's responsibility to protect him or herself. Only you can save your own life. The best warnings in the world won't save you if you don't take appropriate action when severe weather threatens,” Sammler added.

NOAA’s National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. NOAA’s National Weather Service operates the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system in the world, helping to protect lives and property and enhance the national economy.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners and nearly 60 countries to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes.

On the Web:

NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov

NOAA’s National Weather Service: http://www.nws.noaa.gov

StormReady sign and program information: http://www.stormready.noaa.gov

National Weather Service forecast office, Wakefield, Va.: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/akq