STORM READY … Fulton County has received the title of being Storm Ready by the National Weather Service. A sign and certification were provided for the event. Pictured are Acting Meteorologist in Charge and Warning Coordination Meteorologist Dustin Norman, Fulton County Commissioner Jeff Rupp, Fulton County Emergency Management Director Becky Goble, and Deputy Director Peggy Volkman.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
Fulton County has received certification from the National Weather Service for being Storm Ready. This past Thursday, April 25th, representatives from the National Weather Service and Fulton Counties Emergency Management Department, and LEPC Board met at the Fulton County Emergency Medical Services Building / Fulton County Museum and Welcome Center to celebrate the occasion.
Acting Meteorologist in Charge and Warning Coordination Meteorologist Dustin Norman spoke during the event, where a sign and certification were presented to Director Becky Goble, Deputy Director Peggy Volkman, and County Commissioner Jeff Rupp.
Mr. Norman stated that Fulton County was now one of seven counties in their Ohio jurisdiction that is storm-ready, leaving just one more county to go.
Norman also stated that Fulton County’s certification has been a journey, especially with all of the extra hoops and issues undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic. The importance of this certification was also stressed.
“Our goal at the Weather Service is to protect life and property. Emergency Management agencies hold that same goal. We have this certification to ensure emergency management organizations have weather preparedness plans that have been reviewed and approved by weather officials.”
“Certification also ensures two-way communication exists between the county and the NWS. This aids in live damage reporting, communication prior to activating tornado sirens, and the receiving of alerts.”
Fulton County Emergency Management Director Becky Goble also spoke during the event and gave a history of the county’s journey to storm readiness. “Fulton County was not storm ready when I arrived in 2018. We were Storm Ambassadors, which is a step needed in order to go on to receive certification. In 2019 we began the process to become storm-ready and nearly had everything ready to go.”
“At that point then, the pandemic hit, and pretty much everything stopped. We focused on the pandemic and when that was over put our focus back on being storm ready.”
“By that time the whole process had changed, and we had to start everything over again. Last year everything was submitted, and we were waiting for confirmation that we received our certification.”
“It wasn’t coming through, so we contacted the NWS numerous times. Finally, we heard back and were told we satisfied all requirements.”