National Weather Service recognizes Boston as a StormReady city

BOSTON - Monday, May 9, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced today that in a continued effort to increase safety for all Boston residents, the National Weather Service (NWS) has recognized the City of Boston as a StormReady community. The StormReady program helps provide communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property before, during and after a weather related event. StormReady helps community leaders and emergency managers strengthen local safety programs.

"The StormReady designation reaffirms the City of Boston's commitment to preparedness, and highlights the strong working partnerships between our public safety agencies," said Mayor Walsh. "I thank the National Weather Service for recognizing Boston's high level of readiness and unwavering dedication to the safety of our residents."

StormReady is a voluntary program and there is no cost to apply. To be recognized as StormReady, communities must meet guidelines established by the NWS in partnership with federal, state and local emergency management officials. Specifically, a community is required to:

• Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center;
• Have multiple methods to receive and disseminate severe weather warnings and information for their community;
• Have various methods to monitor weather conditions locally;
• Promote the importance of public readiness;
• Develop a formal hazardous weather action plan, including severe weather spotter training and drills.

"While no community can ever be storm-proof, being StormReady means that the City of Boston has multiple ways to receive and disseminate warnings to key officials, first responders and to the public. Boston has done everything that it can do to be prepared and protect its citizens and visitors," said Glenn Field, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Taunton, MA.

StormReady uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle all types of severe weather - from tornadoes to hurricanes. The program encourages communities to take a new, proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations by providing emergency managers with clear-cut guidelines on how to improve their hazardous weather operations.

"We're very proud of this achievement," said Director Rene Fielding of the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management (OEM). "Our office places a premium on effective communication during all weather related incidents, and receiving this distinction from the National Weather Service validates those efforts."

Currently, there are 15 cities and towns with StormReady designation in Massachusetts.