NOAA National Weather Service officials have recognized Autauga County, Ala. as a StormReady® community.

“StormReady encourages communities to take a proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness in partnership with their local National Weather Service office," said Jim Stefkovich, meteorologist-in-charge of the National Weather Service forecast office in Birmingham. Stefkovich will present county officials with a recognition letter and special StormReady® signs during a presentation on the steps of the Autauga County Courthouse at 10 AM on Tuesday, July 20th, 2010.

The nationwide community preparedness program uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle local severe weather and flooding threats. The program is voluntary and provides communities with clear-cut advice from the local National Weather Service forecast office and state and local emergency managers. The program began in 1999 with seven communities in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area. Today, there are more than 1,600 StormReady communities.

“The program is designed to help StormReady communities improve communication and safety skills needed to save lives — before, during and after a severe weather event,” said John DeBlock, warning coordination meteorologist for the forecast office.

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; and, develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

The StormReady® program is part of the National Weather Service's working partnership with the International Association of Emergency Managers and the National Emergency Management Association. The StormReady® recognition expires in three years, after which the county will go through a renewal process.

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources. Visit http://www.noaa.gov.

(From left to right) Crystal Ousley (Autauga EMA), Autauga EMA Director Rocky Milliman,
Prattville Councilman Bill Gillespie, Mayor Jim Byard, NWS Meterologist-in-charge Jim Stefkovich,
County Commissioner Sid Thompson, County Commissioner Jay Thompson, Roxanne Royal (Autauga EMA),
and Autaugaville Mayor F.B. Ward.