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NOAA 2004-R299-29 |
NOAA
News Releases 2004 NOAA Home Page NOAA Public Affairs |
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service today honored Kauai County with the dual designation of “StormReady” and Hawaii’s first TsunamiReady community. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. “StormReady and TsunamiReady encourage communities to take a new, proactive approach to improving public awareness and local response to hazardous situations,” said Jim Weyman, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Honolulu. “Thanks to the efforts of Mayor Brian Baptiste, the Kauai County Civil Defense Agency, and others, Kauai County has established the means to better protect the public from tsunamis and severe weather threats and we have furthered our agency’s mission to protect lives and property.” The TsunamiReady and StormReady programs are voluntary preparedness programs that establish guidelines for communities to follow for readiness. Communities adopt requirements in the areas of communications, warning reception and dissemination, public outreach, awareness and administrative planning. During a ceremony held at the Emergency Operations Center in Lihue, Weyman presented Mayor Baptiste with a certificate of recognition and two special road signs identifying the communities as StormReady and TsunamiReady. “Kauai becomes only the12th community in the nation to receive the TsunamiReady designation and the second county in Hawaii to receive the StormReady designation,” said Weyman. StormReady started in 1999 with seven communities in the Tulsa, Okla., area. There are now more than 800 StormReady communities in 47 states, including Maui County. The StormReady and TsunamiReady recognition will be in effect for three years when the communities will go through a recertification 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, 1,000 tornadoes, and 10 hurricanes impact the United States annually. Potentially deadly weather can impact every person in the country. While tsunamis are rare, they can be deadly. That’s why the National Weather Service developed the StormReady and TsunamiReady programs.” To be recognized as StormReady or TsunamiReady, a community must:
Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises. “Kauai County successfully met the readiness criteria and was approved by an advisory board made up of county emergency managers, representatives from the Hawaii State Civil Defense and the NWS,” said Nezette Rydell, NWS warning coordination meteorologist in Honolulu. “Educating the public about tsunamis is one of our top priorities,” said Charles “Chip” McCreery, director of the Richard H. Hagemeyer Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach. “The TsunamiReady program will not only complement these efforts but will also help expedite county response when a tsunami warning is issued.” “The StormReady and TsunamiReady programs helped us improve the warning services that the county provides,” said Kauai Mayor Brian Baptiste. “Kauai has a long history of hazards including direct hits by Hurricanes Iwa and Iniki, the Anahola floods, and the 1946 and 1960 tsunamis, to mention a few. When future disasters occur, a StormReady or TsunamiReady community will be better prepared for its citizens.” “Just like communities, families need to be storm ready or tsunami ready by having an action plan. Through the StormReady and TsunamiReady programs, the National Weather Service plans to educate every American about what to do during natural hazard events because it is ultimately each individual’s responsibility to protect him or herself. The best warnings in the world won't save you if you don't take action when threatened by severe weather or tsunamis,” Weyman 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. NOAA 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. On the Web: NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov TsunamiReady: http://wcatwc.gov/tsunamiready/tready.htm StormReady: http://www.stormready.noaa.gov NOAA’s National Weather Service Forecast Office Honolulu: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl Editor’s Note: Logos or the StormReady and TsunamiReady programs are available online: |
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