Wednesday, May 16, 2001
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Wednesday, May 16, 2001 |
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Severe weather program cites Fayette as example of being prepared for worst By JOHN
MUNFORD
Since severe weather can pop up out of nowhere, being prepared can make a huge difference in reducing the danger to local residents. And through a new program called StormReady, Fayette can boast it is better prepared than most other counties in Georgia. Fayette is just one of six counties in Georgia to be certified through the StormReady program, which evaluates a number of criteria to determine severe weather preparedness. That means keeping tabs on how Fayette officials monitor area weather, how they communicate emergency warnings and how various agencies drill themselves to be prepared to work together in the event of a severe-weather emergency, said Capt. Pete Nelms of the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Although Fayette County's current severe weather program is hailed as being excellent, there are still some improvements that can be made, Nelms said. "It's a real good opportunity to take a hard look at our program and meet the benchmarks that the National Weather Service and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency have established," Nelms said. Each of the six counties chosen for the StormReady designation were graded by on-site visits and not judged solely on the paperwork they sent in, Nelms pointed out. Lars Rothfusz, meteorologist in charge of the Peachtree City NWS Weather Forecast Office, said the goal of the program is to greatly reduce the risk of sudden storms catching emergency officials by surprise. Fayette and the other counties cited in the StormReady program generally were very prepared for severe weather emergencies anyway, Rothfusz said. But the StormReady process caused them to "take it up a notch," he said. The StormReady program calls for Fayette's severe weather program to be re-evaluated two years from now, Rothfusz added. "That way, as technology improves, we'll raise the bar a little higher so the programs can steadily improve," he said. Fayette is one of just 128 counties in the nation to qualify for the StormReady designation, Nelms said. A satellite receiver at the 911 center is used to keep a 24-hour watch on weather patterns. If necessary, 911 staff can send out a voice alert or tone through the county's new alarm system, which covers portions of the county considered to be at a higher risk when severe weather strikes. If severe weather threatens other areas, fire trucks at nearby stations will pull out of their bays and a 30-second alarm will be sounded, Nelms said. And thanks to several grants, the department has been able to place weather alert radios in every public building, not just in the county but in Fayette's cities as well, Nelms said. That includes each school in Fayette along with many private child care facilities, he added. The StormReady program also monitors how the public is educated about severe weather preparedness. For example, local emergency officials went door-to-door in manufactured home communities to notify them about what actions to take if the severe weather alarms are activated. The StormReady designation is a nice way of recognizing the efforts of local officials to be prepared for severe weather emergencies, Rothfusz said. "Fayette County is at the top of the game and among the best in the state in terms of being prepared for severe weather situations," he said. "While the weather is beyond our control, the StormReady program serves as another tool to help us better prepare in dealing with whatever Mother Nature sends our way," said GEMA Director Gary W. McConnell. "These counties should be commended for taking proactive measures to protect their citizens." For information on severe weather and the StormReady program visit the NWS Web site at www.nws.noaa.gov/stormready or the GEMA site at www.gema.state.ga.us.
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