UNION COUNTY. GA – Union County Fire Department and EMA (UCFD) discussed the importance of being informed and prepared for severe weather, especially after the Jan. 11 storm, and its StormReady Certification.
A significant amount of the Emergency Management’s time is spent preparing for, responding to, or recovering from a severe weather event. Preparing for severe weather is not only an Emergency Management responsibility but a community’s responsibility. The National Weather Service recognizes a community’s effort to be prepared for severe weather with its StormReady® program.
Union County has been a StormReady® Community for over 18 years. According to the National Weather Service, “Some 98 percent of all presidentially declared disasters are weather related, leading to around 500 deaths per year and nearly $15 billion in damage. The StormReady program helps arm America’s communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property–before, during and after the event.”
StormReady® Communities must complete the requirements set forth by the National Weather service, which include: establishing a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center; having more than one way to receive severe weather warnings/forecasts and to alert the public; creating a system that monitors weather conditions locally; promoting the importance of public readiness through community seminars; and developing a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.
Union County met all these requirements and have recently renewed their classification. UCFD must renew it every three years. The renewal process involved evaluating department readiness and conducting training to prepare the community. UCFD hosted a SkyWarn Storm spotter class last November in order to train more storm spotters. Officials hope that by training citizens and increasing public safety awareness, they can possibly reduce damage and save lives.
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