Date: May 14th, 7:00 PM
Location: Siena Heights University, Dominican Hall, Rueckert Auditorium
Lenawee County Emergency Management, in collaboration with the National Weather Service (NWS), is proud to offer an opportunity for local residents to play a crucial role in weather safety and awareness. An upcoming free Skywarn training session is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14th, at Siena Heights University. The session will take place in the Rueckert Auditorium located in Dominican Hall at 7:00 PM. This event is for anyone interested in becoming a certified weather spotter and contributing to community safety during severe weather events.
Why Skywarn?
Skywarn is a volunteer program initiated by the NWS, involving around 350,000 to 400,000 trained severe weather spotters across the country. These volunteers provide vital, real-time information on severe weather conditions to the NWS, helping to enhance the timeliness and accuracy of weather warnings and forecasts. This grassroots effort is crucial in safeguarding communities and saving lives, particularly during severe weather occurrences such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flash floods.
The Impact of Severe Weather
The United States witnesses an alarming frequency of severe weather events each year, including over 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 5,000 floods, and more than 1,000 tornadoes. These events not only threaten lives but also cause billions of dollars in damage to property and crops annually. Effective and timely reporting from Skywarn spotters enables the NWS to issue more precise warnings, helping to minimize these impacts.
Training Details
The Skywarn training session at Siena Heights University will equip participants with all the skills necessary to effectively monitor and report severe weather conditions. The training is free of charge and lasts approximately two hours. Key topics covered will include:
- Basics of thunderstorm development
- Fundamentals of storm structure
- Identifying potential severe weather features
- Information to report and how to report it
- Basic severe weather safety
Who Should Attend?
The NWS encourages a wide array of volunteers to join the Skywarn program, especially those in roles such as police and fire personnel, EMS workers, dispatchers, and public utility workers. Additionally, individuals connected to hospitals, schools, churches, and nursing homes are highly encouraged to participate, especially if they have a responsibility for safeguarding others.
Registration Information
Registration is mandatory for all participants. To secure your spot in this critical training session, please register by visiting this link. Do not miss this opportunity to contribute to your community’s safety and become a frontline defender against severe weather.
By participating in Skywarn, you not only gain valuable knowledge and skills but also provide your community the invaluable gift of time—critical minutes that can help prevent loss of life and property during severe weather events. Join us to make a difference in Lenawee County’s approach to weather-related emergencies.