The National Weather Service presented Palm Beach County with its StormReady recertification on Wednesday, April 18th, deeming the county better prepared to save lives and property from the onslaught of severe weather through enhanced planning, education and awareness programs.
Palm Beach County originally earned the StormReady recognition in 2003, and has recently completed the recertification process, which emphasizes disaster preparedness and severe weather educational activities. The county has been recertified as a StormReady Community through 2009.
The StormReady program provides America’s community leaders and emergency managers with the skills and tools to help strengthen local safety programs. In Palm Beach County these tools include a 24 hour emergency coordinating center, a NOAA Weather Radio transmitter, a weather information network, and an emergency alert plan that includes amateur radio operators.
Americans cope with an average of 6 deadly hurricanes, 10,000 thunderstorms, 5,000 floods and 1,000 tornadoes each year. Nearly 90% of all presidentially declared disasters are weather related, leading to roughly 500 deaths per year and approximately $14 billion in damage.
No community is storm proof, but with the assistance of the National Weather Service’s StormReady program, communities can be helped to guard against the ravages of Mother Nature.
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