The Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo) has joined Weather-Ready Nation (WRN), a program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As a WRN Ambassador, KACo pledges to support weather preparedness initiatives and share timely information with its more than 1,500 members.
"Severe weather and the damaging effects of natural disasters have become a top concern for county officials, who work every day to keep their communities safe," said KACo Executive Director Jim Henderson. "As part of our mission, KACo assists counties in developing best practices and identifying resources to meet a variety of needs. Becoming a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador is a natural extension of KACo’s service to counties. We look forward to working with NOAA and the National Weather Service."
According to NOAA, the goal of the WRN initiative is to collaborate with emergency management officials, businesses, organizations and the media to increase weather resiliency efforts.
Since 2020, there have been nine weather-related federally declared disasters in Kentucky, according to the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management. (A request for a federal disaster declaration stemming from storms in May 2024 is pending as of July 11.)
As straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding and other weather threats become more frequent, county leaders need to ensure they are aware of forecasts and have emergency plans in place. KACo’s emergency management liaison, Jon Kovach, can assist counties in reviewing and enhancing their preparedness and response plans. Kovach can be reached at jon.kovach@kaco.org
