Citadel named state’s first Storm Ready University
January 5, 2011
College takes steps to warn its family against severe weather
The Citadel is the first college in South Carolina to join a small group of colleges and universities across the Southeast taking the initiative to prepare an emergency response plan for severe weather.
Storm Ready University is a nationwide program that helps communities better protect their citizens during severe weather ranging from tornadoes to tsunamis. The program encourages communities to take a proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations.
Bob Williamson, The Citadel’s director of environmental and health safety, spearheaded the emergency response plan.
“To qualify for Storm Ready recognition,” Williamson said, “the college had to establish a 24-hour warning point, implement a system to monitor and receive the severe weather warnings, develop a formal weather response plan, and regularly promote the importance of readiness through training and exercises. Essentially, we have overhauled our emergency response protocol.”
Storm Ready University is a volunteer based program supported by the National Weather Service and the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration.
