FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va — The National Weather Service has declared Franklin County as “StormReady”.
April tornadoes that tore through parts of Virginia are still a reminder of how weather can happen at any time.
NOAA’s National Weather Service praised Franklin County for completing a set of criteria necessary to earn the distinction of being “StormReady”.
Franklin County’s Division Chief of Operations, Billy Ferguson, explains why having this status is so important. "We do have a way to get the info out there. We're proactive, we don't get a weather warning in and have to sit around and figure out how to get it out. We know within an instant that we can emanate this information."
Franklin County started the "StormReady" process about a year ago.
To be recognized as “StormReady”, a community must: establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center; have more than one way to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings and to alert the public; create a system that monitors local weather conditions; 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
