The National Weather Service in Morristown, Tennessee has recognized Claiborne County, Tennessee as a StormReady® county.

“Through a partnership between the National Weather Service and emergency management, the StormReady program encourages communities to take a proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness," said George Mathews, meteorologist-in-charge of the National Weather Service Morristown, Tennessee forecast office. Mathews presented county officials with a recognition letter and special StormReady® signs during a ceremony at the Claiborne County Justice Center last week.

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, Oklahoma area being designated as StormReady communities. Nationwide, as of June 2, 2009, there were 1,466 StormReady sites across the U.S. This includes:

754 Counties, 623 Communities, 29 Universities, 6 Indian Nations,13 Commercial Sites, 8 Military, 10 Government Sites, 66 TsunamiReady Sites in 10 states, Puerto Rico and Guam and

86 StormReady Supporters. In Tennessee specifically, there are now: 37 StormReady Designations which include: 31 Counties, 5 Communities, 1 University and 2 Supporters.

“The StormReady program is designed to help counties improve communication and safety skills needed to save lives — before, during and after a severe weather event,” said Tim Troutman, warning coordination meteorologist for 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. Other requirements include creating a system that monitors local weather conditions; promoting 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.

Disaster preparedness is everyone's responsibility. Educating yourself and your family on environmental hazards, maintaining a disaster supply kit, and having an emergency plan in place, are all proactive ways you can be better prepared.

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

For more information about the StormReady program, please visit the National Weather Service StormReady web site at: www.stormready.noaa.gov