News Flash

Dec. 11, 2019 - Last month, Hampton earned its renewal as a StormReady Community from the National Weather Service by demonstrating multiple components of severe weather readiness.  StormReady is a voluntary program. To be officially certified, a community must: 

• Maintain a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center
• Have redundant communications systems to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings and to alert the public
• Create a system that monitors local weather conditions
• 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

Hampton first achieved StormReady certification in 2004.  Emergency Management’s successful renewal every 3 years is enabled by ongoing training and capability development, community outreach, and strong partnerships with city departments, the 911 emergency communication center, schools, libraries, the Hampton Public Service Team (amateur radio operators), and the National Weather Service Field Office in Wakefield.

 For more information about the StormReady program, please visit https://www.weather.gov/stormready/. 

 If you or your business/civic group/church are interested in learning more about severe weather preparedness, please visit www.ready.gov or contact the Hampton Office of Emergency Management at (757) 727-1208 or emoffice@hampton.gov.