Shown, left to right, Williamsburg Fire Chief T.K. "Buz" Weiler, NOAA National Weather Service's Bill Sammler, and Williamsburg Vice Mayor Clyde Haulman
For Immediate Release: January 9, 2009
Contact: Kate Hoving
Phone: 757.220.6197
email: khoving@williamsburgva.gov
Williamsburg ia the first locality in the Historic Triangle Region to be declared StormReady®, according to NOAA’s National Weather Service that recently recognized the city’s outstanding emergency preparedness
At the Williamsburg City Council meeting yesterday, an official from NOAA's National Weather Service recognized Williamsburg for completing a set of rigorous criteria to earn the distinction of being a StormReady® community. Williamsburg is one of
only 20 communities in the state of Virginia to receive the designation.
Bill Sammler, who is the NOAA National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist, presented a certificate of recognition to Williamsburg Fire Chief
T.K. “Buz” Weiler and city council.
“On this tenth anniversary of the ice storm, we all know the impact
the weather can have on our community,” noted Chief Weiler. “Some
90% of all presidentially declared disasters are weather related,
leading to around 500 deaths per year and nearly $14 billion in damage.
“StormReady® helps arm our community with the communication and safety
skills needed to save lives and property-before and during the
event.”
The StormReady® program utilizes a proactive and grassroots approach to
improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness
partnering local National Weather Service forecast offices with state
and local emergency managers.
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;
● Create a system that monitors local weather conditions;
● Promote the importance of public readiness through community
seminars;
● Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training
severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.
In accepting the award, Chief Weiler praised city staff. “This
achievement is the result of two years of dedication and hard work by
everyone on the city’s emergency preparedness team. I’m very proud
of them.”
StormReady® began in 1999 with seven communities in the Tulsa, Okla.,
area. As of January 5, 2009, there were 1409 StormReady® Sites in the 50
states, Puerto Rico & Guam.
The StormReady recognition will be in effect for three years, when the
city will go through a renewal process.
NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) is the official source of weather
data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories.
It operates the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast
system in the world, helping to protect lives and property and enhance
the national economy.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency
of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic
security and national safety through the prediction and research of
weather and climate related events and providing environmental
stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. It
celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2007; in 1807 that Thomas Jefferson
established the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, which later became NOAA.