NWS Jacksonville renews Clay County’s StormReady certification

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – The National Weather Service – Jacksonville has renewed the Clay County Emergency Management’s StormReady certification.

The StormReady program provides safety skills needed to save lives and property before, during, and after a weather event — aiming to prepare communities during severe weather better.

The NWS inspected the Emergency Management program, interviewed staff, reviewed plans, and examined community outreach and preparedness education.

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In order to be StormReady, the community must meet the following criteria:

• 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