Sam Houston State University in Huntsville has been approved as a StormReady Site by the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS recognized the university at a ceremony on Oct. 23 attended by safety officials from Walker County and the university, including President Alisa White.
Lonnie Booker, the university's director of emergency management, received a sign marking the designation from James Fowler of the National Weather Service. Fowler said the StormReady program involves more than routine weather preparedness, including a weather safety plan, several ways to get weather alerts out, and yearly meetings with the NWS.
According to the story, StormReady Sites are part of the Weather-Ready Nation initiative, which aims to prepare communities for extreme weather, flooding and other climate events. The university said the status makes it a reliable information hub for Huntsville and Walker County during weather emergencies. To qualify, the university established a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center and has multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and alert the public.