More Kentucky counties are meeting a national weather preparedness standard to keep the communities and residents safe when severe weather strikes.
This month, Madison County achieved StormReady certification from the National Weather Service (NWS), joining 80 other counties across the state to participate in the program.
“This certification is a result of the hard work and collaboration of our dedicated department heads and teams,” Madison County Judge/Executive Reagan Taylor said. “Each day, we come to work with a shared commitment to serving the 95,000–100,000 residents of Madison County. Our emergency management team proves that this is a team effort—it’s not just one person, but many working together to ensure the safety of our community.”
By joining the StormReady program, counties demonstrate they are well-equipped to handle emergencies, thereby reducing the potential for loss and facilitating quicker recovery.
“With more counties earning StormReady certification, Kentucky is well on its way to having 100 percent participation in this national program,” said Mike Kochasic, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the NWS Louisville. “We look forward to working with more emergency management agencies and fiscal courts to guide them through the application process.”
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.
In July 2024, KACo became a designated StormReady Supporter and partnered with NWS to host a training webinar for county officials. Since then, more than a dozen counties have become certified or applied to the program.
Click here to learn more about the StormReady process and to watch the KACo-NWS webinar.