Havre, Hill County are storm ready

Courtesy photo

Havre Mayor Tim Solomon, from left, National Weather Service Meteorologist Ben Schott and Havre Public Schools Superintendent Andy Carlson pose for a photograph.

A National Weather Service representative was in Havre Tuesday presenting awards to the city and Hill County to certify that they are storm ready.

Benjamin Schott of Great Falls, the weather service's warning coordinating meteorologist, presented certification to the city and county showing they had met all the requirements under the Weather Service's StormReady program.

Hill County Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Joe Parenteau said the signs showing the city and county are rated StormReady should be going up on the highway soon.

He said the city and county have been working with the Weather Service for about a year to receive the rating.

"We get our community ready to be notified in case of severe weather, " Parenteau said during a meeting of the Hill County Local Emergency Planning Committee. "There's spotter training that goes on so we get people in the communities trained to help better define what weather is out there and get (the information) back through the system, back to the Weather Service. There are several means of getting notification, either locally and to them, or from them back to us, so that we can notify the public and let them know that something is coming or happening. "

Courtesy photo

Hill County Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Joe Parenteau, from left, Hill County Commissioners Mike Wendland and Kathy Bessette and Schott pose for a photograph.

Schott said after the meeting that a list of requirements have to be met to receive the rating. Havre and Hill County join about 50 other counties and cities with the rating in Montana, and Blaine County is now in the process, he added.

"It's good to see we could add Havre and Hill County to that list, " he added.

The requirements include meeting rigorous criteria covering warning communications and emergency planning to earn the status and show the communites are better-equipped to handle severe weather emergencies.

The requirments better-prepare the area to deal with both weather emergency and man-made problems, such as if a hazardous material spill occurred in Havre or Hill County, Schott said.

Parenteau said during the meeting that in addition to the region being better-prepared and better-able to deal with problems, it provides other benefits, including helping to reduce property insurance related to weather damage. It also means the city and county better-meet requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and of some grant and funding programs.