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Jefferson County is proud to be

"Storm Ready" certified

The National Weather Service’s (NWS) Weather-Ready Nation initiative is about building community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather and water events. Roughly 98% of all presidential disaster declarations are weather and flood related, leading to over 500 deaths, 2,500 injuries and nearly $15 billion in damages each year (sources: FEMA, NCDC and Munich RE). The devastating impacts of extreme events can be reduced through improved readiness. The StormReady® program (www.weather.gov/stormready) is a partnership with emergency management that helps reduce risk and increases community resilience to hazards.

Since the program’s inception in Oklahoma in 1999, over 2,000 counties, cities, towns, universities, Indian Nations, commercial sites, government facilities and military installations have been recognized as StormReady. The program recognizes emergency management programs that meet the StormReady guidelines, demonstrating outstanding preparedness for hazardous weather and flooding. StormReady ensures jurisdictions have a standard level of emergency planning and communication capabilities. An effective StormReady Program is essential for NWS to fulfill its mission of protecting life and property, and enhancing our Nation’s economy.

 

By participating in StormReady, emergency managers can earn recognition for their jurisdiction by meeting the program’s guidelines. The StormReady Program is intended to:

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  • Reduce fatalities, injuries and minimize property damage through timely distribution, receipt and effective communication of hazardous weather and flood warnings between the NWS, emergency managers and public

  • Provide detailed and clear recommendations emergency managers may use to establish or improve hazardous weather and flood planning, operations and public response

  • Empower Americans to make better decisions before and during weather and flood hazards through community preparedness

 

StormReady communities have made a strong commitment to implement the infrastructure and systems needed to save lives and protect property when hazardous weather and flooding strikes. StormReady is a voluntary program that directly supports NWS’ strategic vision of a "WeatherReady Nation."

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