The National Weather Service (NWS) has named Leland a StormReady community.
A meteorologist with the local NWS office presented Town Council and staff with the designation at the 2022 Hurricane Expo.
Being a StormReady community means Leland is better prepared to save people and property in the event of severe weather and has the necessary communication and safety skills to do so. The designation will help the Emergency Management Department and other staff strengthen safety programs by providing clear-cut guidelines on how to improve hazardous weather operations.
“Living in southeastern North Carolina, severe weather is not a matter of if, but when,” Emergency Management Chief John Grimes said. “Becoming a StormReady community means that we’re taking action now to be as prepared as possible for that next storm, which is critically important for the Town and all the people who live, work, and play here.”
The Town of Leland received the StormReady designation after meeting the following requirements:
- Establishing a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center.
- Having more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts to alert the public.
- Creating a system that monitors weather conditions locally.
- Promoting the importance of public readiness through community seminars.
- Developing a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.
Specific steps the Town took to accomplish these requirements include offering severe weather awareness training for staff, installing three weather stations in strategic locations throughout Leland, and establishing policies and procedures should severe weather impact the Town.
“StormReady communities are better prepared to save lives from the onslaught of severe weather through advanced planning, education, and awareness,” according to the NWS website. “No community is storm proof, but StormReady can help communities save lives.”
As of June 14, 2022, Leland is one of 3,180 StormReady and/or TsunamiReady Sites in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Pacific Islands. The Town is one of 122 such sites in North Carolina.
For hurricane preparedness tips and resources, please visit the Town’s Prepare for an Emergency webpage.
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