Contact:          Mark Fox                                                                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                        817-831-1157                                                              November 8, 2010

                       

National Weather Service Recognizes

Grayson County, Texas as StormReady®

 

National Weather Service officials have recognized Grayson Co., Texas, as a StormReady® community. 

 

            “StormReady encourages communities to take a proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness in partnership with their local National Weather Service office," said Mark Fox, warning and coordination meteorologist of the National Weather Service forecast office in Fort Worth. Fox will present county officials with a recognition letter and special StormReady signs during a recognition ceremony on Monday, November 15th at 10AM at the Grayson County Commissioners Court Meeting.

 

            The nationwide community preparedness program uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle local severe weather and flooding threats. The program is voluntary and provides communities with clear-cut advice from the local National Weather Service forecast office and state and local emergency managers. The program began in 1999 with seven communities in the Tulsa area.  Today, there are more nearly 1,700 StormReady communities. This represents approximately 4% of the total number of communities nationwide. Grayson County becomes the 26th Texas County to receive the StormReady recognition.

 

“The program is designed to help StormReady communities improve communication and safety skills needed to save lives — before, during and after a severe weather event,” said Bill Bunting, meteorologist-in-charge of the forecast office.

 

            To be recognized as StormReady, a community must establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center; have more than one way to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings and to alert the public; create a system that monitors local weather conditions; promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars; and, develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

 

            The StormReady program is part of NOAA National Weather Service's working partnership with the International Association of Emergency Managers and the National Emergency Management Association.  StormReady recognitions expire in three years, after which the county will go through a renewal process.

 

The National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. It 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. Visit us online at weather.gov and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/US.NationalWeatherService.FortWorth.gov

 

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov.

 

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StormReady® is a registered trademark used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.