NWS Recognizes Dorado Municipality as TsunamiReady™ and StormReady™
May 1, 2009

 Dorado Coummunity TsunamiReady and StormReady Recognition Ceremony.

Dorado Community TsunamiReady and StormReady Recognition Ceremony.  From Left to right... Roger Owens (PREMA), Israel Matos (WFO SU MIC), Christa Von Hillebrandt (Puerto Rico Seismic Center Director), Bill Proenza (NWSR Regional Director), Victor Pepin Rodriguez (Dorado City Chief EM), Jesus F.Ortiz  (Dorado City EM Volunteer), Carlos Lopez Rivera (Dorado City Mayor), Rafael Mojica (WFO SJU WCM), and in the background middle from left to right Orlando Bermudez and Ernesto Morales (WFO SJU Forecasters)
High resolution (Credit: NWS WFOSJU)

Dorado Municipality, Puerto Rico, has earned the National Weather Service TsunamiReady™ and StormReady™designation, better equipping emergency managers to prepare and warn its citizens about tsunamis and severe weather.  

The Dorado emergency management team fulfilled a rigorous set of warning communication and evacuation planning criteria that establish preparedness standards for tsunami and severe weather hazards with the cooperation and support of the Puerto Rico Seismic Network and the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency.

With this designation Dorado Municipality joins the ranks of other communities in Puerto Rico that have  earned the TsunamiReady™ and StormReady™ status. Dorado joins the Mayaguez, Lajas, Carolina and Rincon municipalities as  TsunamiReady™ and Mayaguez, San Lorenzo, and Juncos as StormReady™.

Bill Proenza, Regional Director for the National Weather Service Southern Region, Israel Matos, meteorologist-in-charge, and Rafael Mojica, warning coordination meteorologist, from the National Weather Service forecast office in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Christa Von-Hillebrandt, Puerto Rico Seismic Center Director, presented the the Dorado City Mayor and Chief Emergency Manager with recognition certificates, letters and TsunamiReady™ and StormReady® road signs. 

 
Entering A TsunamiReady Community
High resolution (Credit: NOAA)  
   
 
To be recognized as TsunamiReady™ and StormReady, a community must:
  • establish a 24-hour center for receiving National Weather Service warnings and activating local warning systems;
  • have more than one way to alert the public about tsunami and severe weather warnings;
  • create a system that monitors local weather conditions;
  • promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars; and
  • develop a formal hazardous weather and tsunami plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.
The National Weather Service is encouraging coastal residents to take steps to prepare for a tsunami. “Preparation for disaster is everyone's responsibility. Develop your own emergency response plan, keep a disaster supply kit on hand and learn the tsunami warning signs,” Matos said.

Dorado Students 

Dorado City Skywarn Spotter Class. 
High resolution (Credit: NWS WFO SJU)

The TsunamiReady™ program is part of NOAA National Weather Service's working partnership with the International Association of Emergency Managers, the National Emergency Management Association and the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program. The TsunamiReady™ and StormReady™designation must be renewed after three years.

StormReady® and TsunamiReady™ are registered trademarks of the National Weather Service.
 
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