County deemed ‘StormReady’

    Phillips County has been deemed “StormReady” by the National Weather Service, the Phillips County Office of Emergency Management said.
    The county was recognized specifically for its achievements in these areas:
    — Establishment of a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center.
    — Creation of more than one way to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings, as well as multiple ways to alert the public.
    — Creation of a system that monitors local weather conditions.
    — Promotion of the importance of public readiness through community seminars.
    — Development of a formal hazardous weather plan, which included training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.
    Phillips County applied for StormReady status March 30. Although most of the criteria for certification was in place, Phillips County Emergency Manager Bob Heldenbrand said the application process involved some tweaks to emergency procedure, such as establishing an emergency operations center and setting up additional weather radios for the EOC and the Phillips County Communications Center.

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