The Perryville Board of Aldermen received special recognition as a StormReady city from the National Weather Service when it met in regular session Nov. 5 at the Perryville Police Station.
The board meeting, usually held at city hall, was moved to the police station for that evening because city hall was being used as a county election precinct.
Addressing the board, Christine Wielgos, the warning and coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Paducah, Ky., said, “We are gathered here today to celebrate, and that celebration comes with granting the National Weather Service's StormReady designation to the City of Perryville. This is a very special recognition, and we're extremely proud and excited to be part of this worthwhile event.
“For those of you who do not know what StormReady is, it is a program that helps arm America's communities with communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property before, during, and after an event. Storm warnings also help community leaders, emergency managers, and safety officials strengthen local safety programs. Becoming StormReady is a very significant accomplishment. It is important, and it is part of the National Weather Service’s initiative for becoming a weather-ready nation. Being part of a weather-ready nation is about preparing your community's vulnerability to extreme weather and water events.”
Wielgos noted that Perry County is no stranger to impactful weather, with it experiencing seven EF3 or EF4 tornadoes since the 1950s, including an AF3 that began in downtown Perryville in April 1996.
“This is concerning given the size of the county and all the more reason why it's important to have the tools and resources available to help with mitigation of these and other hazardous weather events,” she said. “I would like to now give you a very brief overview of some of the requirements to become StormReady and what the City of Perryville has done to meet these requirements. First, communication is key. It's a key part of the storm rating criteria.
“For example, there must be a specific level of communication ability to receive pertinent weather information. The City of Perryville receives weather-breaking information not only from the National Weather Service Office in Paducah via text alerts, NWS chat, emails, and NOAA Weather Radio but from local media sources as well — and MULES, the Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System. The other side of communication also includes the ability to disseminate important weather information to the folks who need it.”
According to Wielgos, the City of Perryville provides prompt and effective communication with the citizens of Perry County.
“The City of Perryville has set up Nixle, which allows the residents of Perry County to obtain alerts on hazardous weather,” she said. “Perryville also relies on their social media platforms to relay important weather information. Perryville is also a WeatherReady Nation Ambassador, which means they are devoted to sharing weather information to assist the public in gaining knowledge to help them make better decisions. In addition, whenever there's an outdoor event going on in the city of Perryville where weather could be a potential problem, Emergency Management will contact our office in Paducah for weather updates in order to keep everyone safe.
“The City of Perryville is also hosting a Skywarn Storm Spotter training class on Feb. 19 to allow citizens to learn more about severe weather. So those are just a few of the important requirements for becoming storm running. I'm delighted that Perryville has taken such a strong interest in their citizen safety and has met all the necessary requirements. This strong interest demonstrates just how seriously this city takes responsibility for keeping everyone safe. I hope that we have provided a glimpse into the world behind the scenes in order to acknowledge the professionals who have played an indispensable role in the successful completion of Perryville's storm rate — in particular, [Emergency Management Director] Jeremy Mantz, who refused to accept any limitations and without whom this would not have been possible. We thank you, Jeremy and [SEMA Regional Coordinator Hank Voelker], for your invaluable contributions to making Perryville StormReady. And we definitely look forward to working with you all in the events to come.”
After the recognition, Wielgos took part in a group photo with the board of aldermen, Mantz and Voelker.
