NOAA RECOGNIZES RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C., AS “STORMREADY”

Officials from NOAA's National Weather Service recognized Randolph County, N.C., as one of the agency's “StormReady” counties. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The StormReady program encourages counties to take a new, proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness. North Carolina and Randolph County have a long history of severe weather and it is the goal of StormReady to reduce the impact of severe weather in the state.

The nationwide community preparedness program uses a grassroots approach to help organizations such as counties, cities, military installations, universities or other community groups develop plans to handle local severe weather and flooding threats. The program is voluntary and provides communities with clear-cut advice from a partnership between the local NWS Weather Forecast Office and state and local emergency managers. StormReady started in 1999 with seven communities in the Tulsa, Okla., area. There are now more than 750 StormReady communities in 47 states.

To be recognized as “StormReady,” a county must:

Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center.
Have more than one way 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.
Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

Over ninety percent of all presidential declared disasters are weather related. The mission of the National Weather Service is to reduce the loss of life and property from these storms, and ‘StormReady’ will help residents of Randolph County be prepared for the next weather disaster.

NOAA's National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. NOAA's National Weather Service operates the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system in the world, helping to protect lives and property and enhance the national economy.

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration: http://www.noaa.gov

NOAA National Weather Service: http://www.weather.gov

NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr

StormReady program information is available at: http://www.stormready.noaa.gov