What does it take to become “StormReady”?

To be recognized as StormReady, communities must meet guidelines established by the National Weather Service in partnership with federal, state, and local emergency management officials. There is no cost to apply. Your community may need to upgrade your emergency preparedness operations to meet StormReady program guidelines. Established emergency management programs should incur little to no additional expense. Jody James , NWS Lubbock’s Warning Coordination Meteorologist, will gladly help you with the process. Here are some of the general guidelines emphasized in the StormReady program:

• Incorporate your community’s severe weather threats into your community’s hazard mitigation and emergency response plans
  
• Establish a 24-hour Warning Point and Emergency Operations Center
  
• Establish multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public
  
• Create a system that monitors weather conditions locally
  
• Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars, severe weather spotter training, and by conducting emergency exercises