Customer Comments
Here's what Emergency Managers and other users have to say about
the benefits of becoming StormReady:
Harvard University became a StormReady
University earlier this year. I would very much appreciate it
if you would communicate to the board how valuable we have found the
StormReady program and thank them for their efforts. I wholeheartedly
support the program and have tried to encourage other colleges and
universities to participate. As an FYI, I have submitted a piece
for the Feb. IAEM Bulletin about our interaction with the StormReady
program. The StormReady program can truly be adapted to work
in almost any environment. And while the program has an obvious
severe weather emphasis, the benefits of participation in terms of
communication and coordination can be seen in response to any type
of threat. I have found it is really an all-hazards preparedness
approach to natural hazards. I have CC'ed Donna Franklin on this
email because I have worked with her on our program in the past.
I would like to make a few additional suggestions, from which you
can choose what, if anything, you feel is helpful.
- Assemble documentation for non-traditional StormReady sites to
encourage participation. Something which highlights what some
other organizations are working on, such as theme parks, military
sites, private industry, etc. may help potential program applicants
to envision how the program would work for them.
- Encourage the development of regional user-groups. There
is no need for everyone to reinvent the wheel. Individual programs
must continue to grow between inspection years and can build off
one another.
- Develop a StormReady listserv, forum on the StormReady site, or
informational archive. I am sure there are many best-practices
out there and I would love to hear about them.
- Assemble a list of vendors. While I realize that NOAA could
never endorse one vendor or another, it would be very helpful to
know who is out there, what services they provide, and how to contact
them. Perhaps some could even become program sponsors at some
point – donating weather radios to new programs, etc.
- I don't know what StormReady Broadcasters are. I
assume they are some kind of warning dissemination method. There
are many new technologies and communication platforms arising. Finding
ways to partner the StormReady program with these new information
streams is essential. StormReady goes beyond weather radios,
although they are the foundation.
Again, we really value the partnership with the NWS that the StormReady
program has fostered. If there is anything I can do to assist
you, please let me know.
The fast action by the National Weather Service
,Jacksonville Weather Center to predict the tornado was the top
reason we had no fatalities in Screven. The Hero award should go to
you and your staff. On that March afternoon we were warned early
by the Jacksonville Weather Center that we would be receiving severe
weather. As the afternoon progressed we received notice of the storm
approaching from the southwest and west. We knew from your reports
that it could be a rough day for our county at least 2 hours
ahead of time through our Storm Ready receiving capabilities.Then
as the storm entered our area we received tornado warnings in time
for the public to take action to seek apprppriate shelter. I
feel that if it was not for our county being Storm Ready and the
very fast and efficient action of our local Jacksonville Weather
Center that the story of no fatalities would have been much different.
We owe your staff a great deal for having the foreknowledge to have Wayne
County obtain the enhancements to be Storm Ready. Thanks for
all you and your staff do for us.
Director,
Wayne County Emergency Management Fire Rescue
I wanted to share with you that the City of Oldsmar just received
notification that its Insurance Service Offices CRS flood rating
was lowered from a seven to a six. This will mean additional savings
to Oldsmar residents on their annual flood insurance premiums. The
Storm Ready designation was critical in that the city made the class
six by 31 points, 25 of which were from the Storm Ready recognition!!
I wanted you to know how much I appreciated your assistance as we went through the
Storm Ready application process and the fact that you folks worked hard to get cities
into the Storm Ready designation program. Fire Chief
City of Oldsmar Fire-Rescue Department
Williston has been a StormReady community
for several years. The signs we posted are something people see at key locations
in town. The signs raise their interest in the program and have
to give them some comfort. Also a benefit for meeting the requirements
of a StormReady community is the increased level of awareness
and safety for the community.” Emergency Manager, Williams
County, ND
The firefighters in Denison that have spent countless hours
training and storm spotting now feel their work has been recognized.
A little recognition goes a long way, but a distinguished certification
such as this is amazing. After the signs were up, City Hall received
several phone calls asking what being "Storm Ready"
meant. After it was explained, callers said it made them feel
“safer.” This designation has shown that Denison is
ready for a storm.” Fire Chief, Denison, IA
By participating in the StormReady program it gives you a yard
stick to measure just how prepared you are. It shows you the areas
that you need to improve in and also shows you your strong points.
Emergency Management, Brown County, SD
In my talking points I always bring up that Monroe County
is a StormReady Community. It helps me in my presentation when
talking to the public about severe weather. This is a program
that all counties in Indiana should have and it would benefit
the entire state. Emergency Management, Monroe County, IN
StormReady helped Lewis and Clark County upgrade its
Community Rating System (CRS) rating from a 9 to an 8, which means
a 10% discount in NFIP flood insurance premiums. It also provided
the impetus for the county to provide NOAA Weather radios to 50
public buildings in Helena, East Helena, and the rest of the county,
including 23 schools. I heartily endorse the program and remain
a strong supporter of StormReady. Disaster and Emergency Services,
Lewis and Clark County, MT
I can only tell you that it has helped us obtain funds
from the E-911 fund to replace equipment that was damaged by one
of your storms by lightning. When I mentioned that this was tied
directly to our StormReady and StormNet program, funds were allocated
and equipment was immediately replaced. I think StormReady is
one of the best efforts the NWS has accomplished and I would certainly
support its continuation. Emergency Management, Madison County,
IN
StormReady reminds and educates citizens what to look
for and/or what to do prior to or during an emergency event, helps
clarify weather terminology (watch vs. warning), and helps citizens
feel safer knowing that EM and NWS are consistently monitoring
the weather and educating the public (via press releases, interviews,
etc.). Emergency Manager, Oneida County, WI
In addition to creating a great sense of pride and peace
of mind among our citizenry, Columbia County's private and public
sectors agencies have initiated numerous other "StormReady" type
actions that have greatly enhanced our program. StormReady's been
a great program for Columbia County and continues to grow! Emergency
Manager, Columbia County, GA
The main benefit of the process is a greatly improved
capability to respond in case we face a weather emergency. We
now have a plan (it is an appendix to our omnibus web-based Morrow
County response plan), expanded alert and notification capabilities,
and a better understanding of our threat areas and response/recovery
capabilities. Morrow County, OR
The chief benefit in our case is a greater recognition
by citizens and city officials of the impact that severe weather
events have on our city and how the city has improved its readiness
level by following the StormReady guidelines criteria. Our citizens
have benefited particularly from the public education component
of the program. Emergency Manager, Encinitas, CA
As Emergency Services Director for the Monroe County Red Cross,
charged with community education, I realize a lot of benefit from
the StormReady program. I proudly display the StormReady sign
and mention the program in nearly every presentation I do. I sincerely
hope that the NWS intends to continue this very fine program.
Red Cross, Monroe County, IN
StormReady gives me a set of guidelines to follow that help
me create and maintain a comprehensive warning system. These guidelines
help standardize the way warning information is received and disseminated
at the local level, making it less confusing to the public. StormReady
gives the public a better sense of security knowing that local
warning procedures follow these national guidelines. Stutsman
County, ND, Emergency Manager
StormReady is a program that sets the standard. It caused us
to improve our local storm warning capability in order to reach
or exceed that standard and qualify as a StormReady County. Hamilton
County is a safer place since we elected to participate in the
StormReady program. Emergency Management, Hamilton County,
IN
The biggest benefit for us is Storm Ready recognition sets the
standard. It gives us guidance as what we need to do to prepare
for severe weather. Flora/Clay County ESDA
I think StormReady has helped make our County more aware of
the weather in general. We have more people attending the Storm
Spotters program, and we have a list of people wanting to be involved
in the CERT program. Emergency Management, Johnson County,
IN
Media coverage related to the StormReady designation
was fantastic. The community was most definitely made aware of
severe weather preparedness and how important planning and preparedness
are. The most important benefit: an increased level of awareness
in the importance of emergency management planning and preparedness
in our community. Emergency Manager, Lincoln County, WI
StormReady has given recognition to our long-established program
in Madison County. This, in turn, has made it easier for public
officials to fund our operations. It has also given us some leverage
with officials, especially in the smaller towns, to improve their
ability to sound warnings. I urge the National Weather Service
to continue this program. Science Trainer, Madison County IN
The biggest benefit was to show the County Board we are doing
something. Our spotters are proud of the StormReady recognition
as we could not do this with out them. Champaign County, IL,
ESDA
Wallowa County has benefited as a participant in the StormReady
program by an increased awareness of severe weather events, enhancing
community-wide severe weather notification, and continued training
and education of storm spotters within the local community. Storm
spotters, are receiving severe weather observation training and
educational materials, who then feed back information to the NWS
Pendleton forecast, potentially helping to save property and lives
ahead of severe weather events. Wallowa County, OR
StormReady creates an awareness for the NWS and
local Disaster and Emergency Services (DES) that weather does
have impacts on communities. StormReady educates the people of
the community that DES/EM does have active disaster and emergency
plans and it gives local DES/EM guidelines and goals to improve
their disaster and emergency program. Disaster and Emergency
Service, Beaverhead County, MT
StormReady has improved county and city fan-out procedures so
that more organizations receive important weather information.
Also, much of the StormReady guidelines for communications can
be applied to their total emergency operations plan. Statement
paraphrased from local Emergency Managers in Eastern Washington
and Northern Idaho, by NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist
at NWS Spokane, WA |
www.nws.noaa.gov 
