Denver Receives StormReady Certification

DENVER, CO — Denver has received its 'StormReady' certification from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Boulder, the Denver Office of Emergency Management announced Tuesday.

The certification is obtained by communities that prove they are fully prepared for extreme weather conditions, such as storms, tornadoes and flooding.

The StormReady program guides local officials in setting up safety measures to save people's lives and property.

To be StormReady, a community must:

• Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center
• Have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public
• Create a system that monitors weather conditions locally
• Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars.
• Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises

"Although StormReady designation doesn't keep the storms away, it does signify a community's commitment to be prepared when a storm does threaten and proactively respond for the sake of public safety," said Matthew Mueller, executive director of the Denver Office of Emergency Management.

"There can be no greater calling for us at Denver OEM than to ensure the safety and preparedness of our residents."

Don't miss the latest news updates in Denver: Free Denver Patch Newsletters and Email Alerts | Facebook | Twitter

"Some 98 percent of all Presidentially declared disasters are weather related, leading to around 500 deaths per year and nearly $15 billion in damage," the StormReady website says.

"The StormReady program helps arm America's communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property —before, during and after the event."

>> More information about the certification can be found here.

>> Information about how you can prepare your household for severe weather and other disasters can be found here.