Berry College was recently recognized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service as a certified “StormReady” community.
Berry College joins a growing number of universities, counties, military bases, commercial enterprises and other groups that are better prepared to save lives from the threats of severe weather.
“One of the things we work every day on and is of the highest priority for each and every one of us, is to have a campus that is as safe as possible for our students, faculty, staff and for all those who visit. We can never prevent severe weather from affecting our campus but we can prepare and be ready,” said Gary Will, Berry College assistant vice president campus security and emergency response management.
“The StormReady designation is aimed at not only increasing the safety for our college community but also increasing awareness that Berry College takes the safety of the community seriously. This designation provides a stamp of approval from an outside agency for all of our hazardous weather planning and preparations.”
In order to receive this recognition, Berry College had to establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center, develop multiple ways to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings and alert the public, create a system that monitors local weather conditions, promote the importance of community preparedness through public seminars, and develop a formal hazardous weather plan by training severe weather spotters and holding exercises.
The U.S. is the most severe-weather prone country on Earth. Every year, Americans are forced to cope with, 100,000 thunderstorms, 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 5,000 floods or flash floods, 1,000 tornadoes and deadly hurricanes. Some 98% of all presidentially-declared disasters are weather related, leading to around 500 deaths per year and nearly $15 billion in damage, according to the National Weather Service.
Berry College joins the University of Georgia, Emory University, and most recently, Valdosta State University and the University of North Georgia as StormReady campuses. Thanks to the StormReady standards, these and more communities across the country are now armed with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property before, during and after the event.
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Written by Student Public Relations Assistant Abbie Smith
