In an effort to expand statewide resilience against severe weather, the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo) has teamed up with the National Weather Service (NWS) to champion the StormReady program. StormReady is a national standard of weather preparedness focused on communication and safety.
“Kentucky is no stranger to severe weather and tornadoes at any time of year, both day and night,” said Mike Kochasic, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the NWS Louisville office. “The NWS StormReady program helps communities develop and certify plans to handle all types of extreme weather and to be prepared when disaster strikes.”
By becoming StormReady certified, counties can ensure they are well-equipped to handle emergencies, thereby reducing the potential for loss and facilitating quicker recovery.
“When seconds count, having multiple ways to receive and disseminate storm warning information can save lives,” Kochasic added. “Counties with StormReady status can possibly qualify for rate reductions for the National Flood Insurance Program managed by FEMA.”
StormReady requirements
To become StormReady certified, counties must meet specific criteria set by the NWS, including:
- Establishing a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center.
- Having multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts.
- Creating a system that monitors weather conditions locally.
- Promoting public readiness through community seminars and information dissemination.
- Developing a formal hazardous weather plan, including training severe weather spotters and conducting emergency exercises.
Sixty-five Kentucky counties are currently part of the StormReady program, including Mercer County, which joined earlier this year.
“The more we can do to prepare for severe weather in advance, the better our county's going to be, the safer our folks that live here are going to be. And that's our goal,” said Mercer Emergency Management Director Brad Cox.
Next steps
KACo recently became a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador and a StormReady Supporter. As part of this commitment, KACo is hosting a training webinar with the National Weather Service on Aug. 22 at 11 a.m. EDT via Zoom.
During the StormReady training, county officials can learn more about the program, certification process and meet representatives from each NWS regional office in serving Kentucky. Click here to register for the event.
