Storm Ready Designation

The City of San Antonio became a certified “Storm Ready” Community in March of 2009.  “Storm Ready” is a nationwide community preparedness program that uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle all types of severe weather, from tornadoes to tsunamis. The program encourages communities to take a new, proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations.  Emergency managers are given clear-cut guidelines on how to improve their hazardous weather operations through this program. To be officially considered a StormReady community we must ensure the following:

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

Public Warning Systems

First Responders.
During any event the use of law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel has proven useful during smaller scale operations which required a rapid dissemination of warnings or evacuation requests to citizens.  Once the SAFE program is established, staff can provide briefings to these response organizations through regular in-service training and through training bulletins.

Emergency Notification System (ENS)
The ENS system has the capability of notifying thousands of people within minutes through land-line telephone services. Officials can contact people directly through the phone to warn and give instructions during an emergency.

Emergency Activation System (EAS)
This system broadcasts messages over the radio and television.  EAS uses a digital signal to send messages to the public. This system has the ability to reach a large amount of people in very little time. Other methods of warning the public may also include, 311/211, text messages, e-mail, public service announcements (PSA), flyers and mail outs, website announcements, town hall meetings, and schools meetings.

S.A.F.E. System Community Education for Children

An important step to fulfilling the S.A.F.E. public education objective is through educating children.  S.A.F.E. will create a foundation for a prepared and educated public on flood safety by educating children on basic flood safety and preparedness. For example, an initial target audience could be 4th graders in every school in Bexar County.  This would involve a 30 minute S.A.F.E. presentation.  During this presentation, information on flood safety, disaster preparedness, emergency planning and creating an emergency kit will be discussed. Every child will receive a S.A.F.E. activity book and pencil. The S.A.F.E. mascot will help in the delivery of this curriculum while encouraging children to participate in skits and other activities geared towards flood safety.