Lakewood Receives 'StormReady' Status From Weather Officials

LAKEWOOD, CO — The City of Lakewood has officially become a 'StormReady' community. The National Weather Service designation is awarded to governments, universities, military bases and other communities that take the necessary steps to safeguard residents from dangerous weather.

StormReady helps communities develop plans to handle all types of extreme weather, officials said.

StormReady communities have to take the following actions:

• Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center
• Have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public
• Create a system that monitors weather conditions locally
• Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars
• Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

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"Some 98 percent of all Presidentially declared disasters are weather related, leading to around 500 deaths per year and nearly $15 billion in damage," Weather officials stated on the StormReady website. "The StormReady program helps arm America's communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property —before, during and after the event."

More information about the program can be found here.