Earlier this week, Allen County was recertified as “StormReady”.
The designation means the county has planning, training, communication systems and coordination in place to be able to act on critical weather information, according to a release from the Allen County Board of Commissioners.
The county holds the designation for the next four years.
All the counties in Northeast Indiana hold the StormReady designation.
Governmental, commercial and educational centers can also qualify for the title. In Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is considered StormReady, as is the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
According to the National Weather Service, StormReady entities have to have a number of plans in place, including local weather monitoring and promoting public readiness.
To qualify as a StormReady community or entity:
- Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center
- Have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public
- Create a system that monitors weather conditions locally
- 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.
