NOAA 2004-R249 |
NOAA
News Releases 2004 NOAA Home Page NOAA Public Affairs |
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service (NWS) today recognized the Tooele Army Depot as the nation’s first StormReady military facility. During a presentation at the Salt Lake City Weather Forecast Office, representatives from NWS commended the Army Depot management and employees for their efforts to enhance hazardous weather operations at the facility. The Army Depot joins more than 720 locations in 47 states to earn the StormReady designation. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The StormReady program gives communities the skills and education needed to survive severe weather before and during the event. StormReady helps community leaders and emergency managers strengthen their local hazardous weather operations by ensuring that they have the tools needed to receive life saving NWS warnings in the quickest time possible. Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. David L. Johnson, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service, made the presentation to Lt. Col. Karol Ripley, Tooele Army Depot commander. “Without
the StormReady program, many communities would not be prepared to
handle severe weather,” said Johnson. “Approximately 90
percent of all presidentially declared disasters are weather related.
These weather-related disasters lead to nearly 500 deaths each year
and nearly $14 billion in damage. StormReady helps equip America's
communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save
lives and property before and during the event.”
“The StormReady program is a great approach that helped us shore up and develop systems and plans to handle local severe weather in any season, and strengthen our cooperative ties with the National Weather Service,” said Ripley. “We are excited to be recognized for our readiness capabilities and proud to be associated with the NWS as StormReady partners, and as the first StormReady facility in the Department of Defense.” NOAA’s National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. The NWS operates the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system in the world, helping 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 National Weather Service: http://www.nws.noaa.gov Tooele Army Depot: http://www.tead.army.mil/ Editor’s
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