Columbus AFB awarded “Storm Ready” certification

  • Published
  • By Sonic Johnson
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Columbus AFB was formally awarded the "Storm Ready" certification from the National Weather Service at a ceremony held on Columbus AFB on January 5. This certification is in recognition of the contingency plans created by the 14th Civil Engineering Squadron's Emergency Management Team handles extreme weather situations. The National Weather Service's "Storm Ready" program provides communities the skills and education needed to survive severe weather - before and after the storm. The program also helps community leaders and emergency managers strengthen their local hazardous weather operations.

The application process started in October 2011 with an initial visit from the National Weather Service to Columbus AFB. The final meeting was conducted on November 30. The application review involved the base Weather shop, Command Post, Emergency Communication Center, and local response plans and procedures.

Requirements of a Storm Ready community:
1. Establish a 24-hour warning point and an Emergency Operations Center.
2. Have redundancy built in to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings and to alert the public.
3. System in place to monitor local weather conditions
4. Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars
5. Have a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

Of the 11 Air Education and Training Command bases, Columbus AFB is only one of three that are Storm Ready certified. The base and Lowndes County are now both Storm Ready. Lowndes County earned their certification in July 2007.