The National Weather Service has recognized the Natick Soldier Systems Center as a StormReady military installation. NSSC is the first military installation in New England to be certified as StormReady.
To become storm ready, NSSC met or exceeded established criteria in six areas: communication; National Weather Service information reception; Weather and Water monitoring systems; local warning dissemination to include NOAA Weather Radios in key locations; community preparedness -- safety/spotter talks and employee education and administrative tools/record keeping.
Each StormReady site that is recognized represents several thousand more people that are better prepared, whether it be in a town, a city, a college or university, a commercial site, or a military base," said Glenn Field the warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service forecast office in Taunton, Ma. "With a population of 2,000, Natick Soldier Systems Center is another step toward our ultimate preparedness goal, which is of utmost importance to the NWS. Hopefully, it will also pave the way for additional military sites to become recognized as StormReady."
This program encourages communities to take a new, proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness. StormReady arms communities with improved communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property before and during an event.
NSSC is responsible for the more than 1,600 employees on the Natick campus and 64 housing units located in Natick, Hudson, Wayland and Needham.
Before the award was announced, Scott Whitney, the USAG-Natick Installation Emergency Manager said this award is shared across the installation and the Natick community. He mentioned the working relationship between the Garrison, other installation tenants and with the Natick Police and Fire Departments.
"We are focused on the safety of the people who work and live here," said Lt. Col. Frank Sobchak, the USAG-Natick commander. By being StormReady this is one way we can protect the lives of the great people who do great things on behalf of our Soldiers."
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