McConnell's ready to 'hit the deck'

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jose L. Leon
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  McConnell is now one of 15 active duty Air Force bases to become certified "StormReady" by the National Weather Service.

On Jan. 7, 2013, a ceremony was held to initiate the three-year certification.

This accomplishment was a milestone, considering McConnell is in the area of the country known as "tornado alley," according to the National Weather Service.

StormReady is a program started in 1999 in Tulsa, Okla., helps arm America's communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property - before and during the event.

Taking part in this initiative is McConnell's 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron Emergency Management team.

For example, at McConnell if you are working out at the gym, they have a weather radio in the building to alert patrons of inclement weather, said Airman 1st Class Alisha Knehr, 22nd CES EM journeyman.

Quite simply, storm readiness provides communities the tools to communicate, prepare and react to before, during and after a national weather event occurs, according to the National Weather Service.

As a part of the certification, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radios have been installed in five facilities to better distribute the information.

The certification recognizes proactive efforts to disseminating information through more than one medium prior any events.

"[The certification] doesn't just include a siren and getting the weather alerts," said Stephen Patch, 22nd CES EM support Technician. "This includes briefing our newcomers, doing quarterly newsletters and more that encompasses the entire wing."

A StormReady McConnell is not just a certification but a continued commitment to improvement. McConnell's EM team has plans to continue our training and readiness in order to guarantee proper response procedures in case of an emergency, said Knehr.