Annex 6 - National Weather Service StormReady

This policy shall provide guidance in the management of all records pertaining to the StormReady recognition received by Binghamton University.

Some 90% of all presidentially declared disasters are weather related, leading to around 500 deaths per year and nearly $14 billion in damage. StormReady, a program started in 1999 in Tulsa, Okla., helps arm America's communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property — before and during the event. StormReady helps community leaders and emergency managers strengthen local safety programs. StormReady communities are better prepared to save lives from the onslaught of severe weather through advanced planning, education and awareness. No community is storm proof, but StormReady can help communities save lives.

Reporting storm damage to the National Weather Service:

In the event that severe weather hits the Binghamton University campus it will be the responsibility of a trained spotter or an available member of the New York State University Police to document all damage that occurs to campus property and report this damage to the National Weather Service Binghamton office within a reasonable amount of time. The procedure for documenting this damage includes:

  • Photographing all damage to buildings and/or trees
  • Photographing hail with another object in picture to judge size. A ruler is the preferred object.

Trained National Weather Service Spotters will report any visible funnel clouds or severe weather that is experienced by the University campus.

Activation of Campus Trained Spotters:

The National Weather Service in Binghamton has the authority to activate trained spotters within its service area. If the National Weather Service chooses to activate the trained spotters on the Binghamton University campus and these spotters are available, they will be used to identify severe weather such as funnel clouds, tornadoes, and lightning. These trained spotters shall report any finding back to the Binghamton office of the National Weather Service. Binghamton University will use the RaveAlert system to activate campus spotters.

Trained Spotter Roster and Training Records:

It will be the responsibility of the director of emergency management to maintain an up to date roster off all trained National Weather Service spotters along with copies of their training certificates. Training opportunities will be advertised as the training becomes available.

StormReady Requirements

With a population between 15,000–40,000, the Binghamton University campus must meet the following requirements to maintain it’s StormReady designation:

CATEGORY

REQUIREMENT

BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY COMPLIANCE STATUS

Communication
  • Established 24-hr Warning Point (WP)
  • Established Emergency Operations Center
  • The Binghamton University Emergency Services 911 Dispatch Center is the designated Warning Point.
  • The campus EOC is staffed by the University’s Incident Management Team (IMT) and the EOC location is the NYSUP conference room.
Contact the Emergency Management program at 607-777-3545 for status information.

NWS Information Reception
  • A minimum of four ways for the EOC/WP to receive NWS warnings, etc.
 Contact the Emergency Management program at 607-777-3545 for status information.

Hydrometerological monitoring
  • A minimum of three ways to monitor hydrometerological data
 Contact the Emergency Management program at 607-777-3545 for status information.

Local warning dissemination
  • A minimum of three ways for the EOC/WP to disseminate warnings
  • NWR – SAME receivers in public facilities
 Contact the Emergency Management program at 607-777-3545 for status information

Community preparedness
  • A minimum of three annual weather safety talks
  • Train spotters and dispatchers biennially
 Contact the Emergency Management program at 607-777-3545 for status information

Administrative
  • Formal hazardous weather operations plan
  • Biennial visits by emergency manager to NWS
  • Annual visits by NWS official to community
 Contact the Emergency Management program at 607-777-3545 for status information

StormReady Recertification

Subsequent renewals of the StormReady certification require the University go through the application process every three years. This helps to ensure that equipment is in place and updated, contact information is accurate and allows for improvements to be made to the program using technological advances in communications and warning dissemination. The local NWS office will send a letter information the University of the upcoming renewal date and direct the point-of-contact to current StormReady guidelines and applications.