The UM-Flint has been designated by the National Weather Service (NWS) as a “Storm Ready” university.
“Storm Ready” is a nationwide community preparedness program that 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 a partnership between the local NWS weather forecast office and state and local emergency managers.
“The safety of our campus community is one of our major concerns,” said UM-Flint Chancellor Ruth Persons. “This designation by the National Weather Service recognizes the university’s ongoing preparedness planning to protect the students, faculty and staff in weather related emergencies.”
“The StormReady program helps create collaboration in community preparedness,” says Gail Phelps, emergency preparedness coordinator. “Good planning reduces fear and losses that accompany disasters.”
In early June, as part of qualifying for the designation, a large number of UM-Flint faculty and staff received special training to be SKYWARN spotters. The Environment, Health, and Safety Department hosted National Weather Service trainers, Karen Clark and Phil Kurimski, to conduct two SKYWARN classes.
Forty faculty and staff received the training. The subject matter covered in the class included how thunderstorms develop, storm structures, potential severe weather features, and how to properly report to the weather service. Special instruction also was given on severe weather safety.
A formal presentation of the Storm Ready certification is being planned in the spring.
