The National Association of Counties’ (NACo) annual convention and expo in Nashville, TN, July 24-28, proved a good venue to showcase NOAA’s local and regional services to county officials from at least 30 states. County officials from California to Florida gathered at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center where 3,300 were registered for the 2009 NACo annual conference, taking part in educational sessions on health, homeland security, public lands, and transportation, as well as workshops covering energy and climate issues.

Visitors to NOAA’s booth learned how their county could get certified as a StormReady County, and about NOAA’s campaign to prevent members of the public from driving through flood waters, as well as where they could find up-to-date radar and weather-safety information. Dr. LaToya Myles, of the Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division of NOAA’s Air Resources Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN, participated in the NOAA booth. In a slide show, Dr. Myles showcased ATDD’s work in climate, air quality, and dispersion. Also staffing the NOAA booth were Larry Wenzel, National Hydrologic Outreach Program Leader for the NWS Hydrology Office, and Carol Knight, outreach coordinator from NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory.