StormReady StormReady

Working Together to Save LivesWorking Together to Save Lives

Mary Jo Parker

National Weather Service

Wilmington, Ohio

Why do we needWhy do we needStormReady?StormReady?

Approximately 90% of all Presidentially declared Approximately 90% of all Presidentially declared disasters are weather relateddisasters are weather related

On average there are 500 weather related deaths each On average there are 500 weather related deaths each year across Americayear across America

Severe weather causes nearly $14 Billion in property Severe weather causes nearly $14 Billion in property damage each yeardamage each year

What is StormReady?What is StormReady?

StormReady is a “grass roots” program that focuses on StormReady is a “grass roots” program that focuses on improving communication and severe weather improving communication and severe weather preparedness in communitiespreparedness in communities

StormReady helps community leaders and emergency StormReady helps community leaders and emergency managers strengthen local safety programsmanagers strengthen local safety programs

StormReady prepares communities for severe weather StormReady prepares communities for severe weather - - from tornadoes to tsunamisfrom tornadoes to tsunamis

StormReady provides community leaders and StormReady provides community leaders and emergency managers with detailed and clear guidance emergency managers with detailed and clear guidance on how to improve their warning and weather on how to improve their warning and weather preparedness programspreparedness programs

StormReady IncentivesStormReady Incentives

• Improve timeliness of hazardous weather warning Improve timeliness of hazardous weather warning reception and dissemination for communityreception and dissemination for community

• Help local Emergency Managers justify costs of Help local Emergency Managers justify costs of hazardous weather-related programshazardous weather-related programs

• Provide an “image incentive” to communityProvide an “image incentive” to community

• Encourage surrounding areas to improve their Encourage surrounding areas to improve their hazardous weather preparedness programshazardous weather preparedness programs

• Receive 25 Community Rating System Points to Receive 25 Community Rating System Points to possibly lower National Flood Insurance Plan possibly lower National Flood Insurance Plan premiumspremiums

As of April 2007 there were 1164As of April 2007 there were 1164StormReady Sites in 50 StatesStormReady Sites in 50 States

• StormReady

• TsunamiReady

• University/Lab

• Industrial Site

• Indian Nation

As of April 2007 there were 8As of April 2007 there were 8StormReady Counties in OhioStormReady Counties in Ohio

StormReadyStormReadyCommunity DefinedCommunity Defined

StormReady defines “community” as a group of StormReady defines “community” as a group of people within a locality that have common social and people within a locality that have common social and economic interests with an infrastructure that economic interests with an infrastructure that supports the communication and education role of supports the communication and education role of the National Weather Service to protect lives and the National Weather Service to protect lives and propertyproperty

In Ohio we recognize Counties for the StormReady In Ohio we recognize Counties for the StormReady program.program.

StormReady defines “community” as a group of StormReady defines “community” as a group of people within a locality that have common social and people within a locality that have common social and economic interests with an infrastructure that economic interests with an infrastructure that supports the communication and education role of supports the communication and education role of the National Weather Service to protect lives and the National Weather Service to protect lives and propertyproperty

In Ohio we recognize Counties for the StormReady In Ohio we recognize Counties for the StormReady program.program.

Integrated Warning SystemIntegrated Warning System

Detection and WarningDetection and Warning

Communication and DisseminationCommunication and Dissemination

ResponseResponse

U.S. National Weather Service

Detection and Warning is an important part of the Integrated Warning System.

Integrated Warning SystemIntegrated Warning System

What we have learned What we have learned from Social Scientists is from Social Scientists is that if any one part of that if any one part of the Integrated Warning the Integrated Warning System breaks down… System breaks down… the the entire processentire process fails fails

U.S. National Weather Service

Goshen Church: Piedmont, ALGoshen Church: Piedmont, AL

March 27, 1994March 27, 1994

U.S. National Weather Service

• The NWS issued a tornado warning with 20 minute lead time

• The detection and warning portion of the system was a success but… the system still failed because the Church did not receive the warning message!

Goshen Church: Piedmont, ALGoshen Church: Piedmont, AL

March 27, 1994March 27, 1994

U.S. National Weather Service

• Is there a safe place in the Church?

• Did the Church have a weather safety plan?

• Did they assess their vulnerability to severe weather threats ahead of time?

Van Wert Cinema: Van Wert, OHVan Wert Cinema: Van Wert, OH

November 10, 2002November 10, 2002

U.S. National Weather Service

• The NWS issued a tornado warning with a 28 minute lead time

• The detection and warning; communication and dissemination; and response portions of the Integrated Warning System were a success!

Van Wert Cinema, Van Wert, OHVan Wert Cinema, Van Wert, OH

November 10, 2002November 10, 2002

U.S. National Weather Service

• There was a safe place pre-designated in the Cinema!

• The Cinema had developed a weather safety plan!

• The Cinema assessed their vulnerability to severe weather threats ahead of time!

ResponseResponse

We want the public to respond correctly to a We want the public to respond correctly to a warning messagewarning message

The warning message itself does not The warning message itself does not stimulate an immediate response from peoplestimulate an immediate response from people

People will 1People will 1stst assess their own personal risk assess their own personal risk

Public action depends on the content and Public action depends on the content and clarity of the warning and the credibility of the clarity of the warning and the credibility of the issuing organizationissuing organization

U.S. National Weather Service

Response Response (continued)(continued)

Potential for correct response increases if Potential for correct response increases if people have clear information that defines people have clear information that defines their personal risk and tells them what actions their personal risk and tells them what actions to taketo take

Bottom Line:Bottom Line: We need to provide consistent, We need to provide consistent, credible, information from multiple trusted credible, information from multiple trusted sourcessources

U.S. National Weather Service

U.S. NWS CommunicationU.S. NWS Communicationand Disseminationand Dissemination

U.S. NWS partners with U.S. NWS partners with the media and private the media and private sector to disseminate sector to disseminate warning messageswarning messages

U.S. NWS has multiple U.S. NWS has multiple systems to use to get systems to use to get warning messages out to warning messages out to the publicthe public

NOAA Weather RadioNOAA Weather Radio

The voice of the National Weather Service

There are over 940 NWR Transmitters in all 50 States across the U.S.

U.S. National Weather Service

NOAA Weather Radio and NOAA Weather Radio and Emergency Alert SystemEmergency Alert System

U.S. National Weather Service

PartnershipsPartnerships

Partners consist of multiple publics:Partners consist of multiple publics:• Emergency ManagementEmergency Management

• Other Government AgenciesOther Government Agencies

• Private SectorPrivate Sector

• MediaMedia

U.S. National Weather Service

PartnershipsPartnerships

Establishing close working relationship Establishing close working relationship with partners is crucial to a successful with partners is crucial to a successful integrated warning processintegrated warning process

Allows you to do things together that you Allows you to do things together that you can’t do alonecan’t do alone

Leverages resources to get the job doneLeverages resources to get the job done

U.S. National Weather Service

How does a CommunityHow does a Communitybecome StormReady?become StormReady?

Establish Communication and Coordination PlansEstablish Communication and Coordination Plans - 24 Hour Warning Point- 24 Hour Warning Point

- Emergency Operations Center- Emergency Operations Center

Receive Critical Warning InformationReceive Critical Warning Information - NOAA Weather Radio- NOAA Weather Radio

- NOAA Weather Wire- NOAA Weather Wire

- Emergency Managers Weather Information Network- Emergency Managers Weather Information Network

- News Media (Radio/TV)- News Media (Radio/TV)

- Internet- Internet

- Pagers, cell phones, etc.- Pagers, cell phones, etc.

How does a CommunityHow does a Communitybecome StormReady? become StormReady? (contd)(contd)

Monitor Evolving Weather Monitor Evolving Weather

- Weather instruments - Weather instruments

- River gage monitoring- River gage monitoring

- Radar access (Internet, local providers)- Radar access (Internet, local providers)

Disseminate Warnings Disseminate Warnings

- Emergency Alert System - Emergency Alert System

- Cable Override - Cable Override

- NOAA Weather Radio in public buildings- NOAA Weather Radio in public buildings

- Sirens- Sirens

- Other systems unique to the area- Other systems unique to the area

How does a CommunityHow does a Communitybecome StormReady? become StormReady? (contd)(contd)

Increase Community PreparednessIncrease Community Preparedness

- Spotter and dispatcher severe weather training- Spotter and dispatcher severe weather training

- Public weather safety presentations- Public weather safety presentations

Enhance Internal Operational ProceduresEnhance Internal Operational Procedures

- Review of hazardous weather action plan- Review of hazardous weather action plan

StormReady RecognitionStormReady RecognitionProcessProcess

Community applies in writing to local NWS Forecast Community applies in writing to local NWS Forecast OfficeOffice

Local StormReady Advisory Board reviews Local StormReady Advisory Board reviews applicationapplication

StormReady Advisory Board performs on-site StormReady Advisory Board performs on-site verification visit to ensure all StormReady criteria are verification visit to ensure all StormReady criteria are metmet

If criteria are not met, StormReady Advisory Board If criteria are not met, StormReady Advisory Board suggests improvements and works with the suggests improvements and works with the community to implement necessary changescommunity to implement necessary changes

Once all criteria are met, a recognition Ceremony and Once all criteria are met, a recognition Ceremony and Press Conference is held for communityPress Conference is held for community

Successful ApplicantsSuccessful ApplicantsReceive:Receive:

StormReady recognition letter from local NWS StormReady recognition letter from local NWS Office Meteorologist in Charge, valid for 3 yearsOffice Meteorologist in Charge, valid for 3 years

Two official StormReady signsTwo official StormReady signs

Authorization to use the StormReady logoAuthorization to use the StormReady logo

Instructions for acquiring additional signsInstructions for acquiring additional signs

Information on how to notify the ISO for Information on how to notify the ISO for possible flood insurance rate adjustmentspossible flood insurance rate adjustments

Listing on the Natl StormReady Website Listing on the Natl StormReady Website

StormReady RenewalStormReady RenewalProcessProcess

NWS Meteorologist-in-Charge should send a NWS Meteorologist-in-Charge should send a notification letter to communities that need to re-apply notification letter to communities that need to re-apply with 6 months advance notice with 6 months advance notice

Letter includes a copy of the original Application and Letter includes a copy of the original Application and a request that local officials review the application to a request that local officials review the application to certify that it is still accuratecertify that it is still accurate

Community official should provide an updated list of Community official should provide an updated list of any new technology or information that has been any new technology or information that has been added since the initial application was signedadded since the initial application was signed

Once a community official signs the application and Once a community official signs the application and returns it to the NWS local office, the 3-year renewal returns it to the NWS local office, the 3-year renewal becomes effectivebecomes effective

NWS StormReady Web NWS StormReady Web PagePage

StormReady Main Page:StormReady Main Page: Welcome to the program Welcome to the program

Communities:Communities: National map of StormReady National map of StormReady communitiescommunities

How to Apply:How to Apply: Application process details. Application process details. Application is available in WordPerfect, MS Word, PDF, Application is available in WordPerfect, MS Word, PDF, and on-line formats. There’s also a “Tool Kit for and on-line formats. There’s also a “Tool Kit for Emergency Managers”Emergency Managers”

Awareness:Awareness: Weather safety brochures and materials Weather safety brochures and materials

Publications/Photos:Publications/Photos: FAQs, brochures, ceremony FAQs, brochures, ceremony photos, StormReady Historyphotos, StormReady History

Contact Us:Contact Us: State map of USA. Click on a state to get State map of USA. Click on a state to get your local NWS StormReady contactyour local NWS StormReady contact

StormReady Web StormReady Web ResourcesResources

NWS StormReady Page: NWS StormReady Page:

www.stormready.noaa.govwww.stormready.noaa.gov

Thank You!Thank You!