Officials from the National Weather Service presented the certification at a Board of County Commissioners meeting on March 17.

StormReady communities take a proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness. A StormReady designation does not mean that a community is storm proof, but better prepared to save lives affected by severe weather through better planning, education and awareness. The nationwide community preparedness program uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle local severe weather threats. To be recognized as Storm Ready, 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.

For more information on emergency preparedness, log on to the St. Mary’s County Government website at www.stmarysmd.com. Click on Public Safety under the Services box.