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National Weather Service awards Hialeah 'StormReady' accreditation; city gains flood-insurance mitigation credit
Summary
The National Weather Service presented Hialeah with a four-year StormReady accreditation after reviewing the city's emergency plans, interagency notification procedures and documentation of departmental roles.
The National Weather Service on Monday presented the City of Hialeah with a StormReady accreditation that will remain in place for four years, NWS officials said.
The recognition indicates Hialeah documented emergency plans, department contact procedures, public notification strategies and other resiliency measures required by the StormReady program. "This program is more than just a sign or a title," Robert Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service Miami, said. "It shows the city's commitment to being proactive, to have the community prepared for disasters, to have the community be able to respond, stand back up for disasters." Garcia credited local officials and staff for compiling the documentation the NWS reviewed.
Robert Molla, meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service Miami South Florida forecast office, said StormReady recognition is not given lightly and praised the city's efforts. City staff and department leaders who worked with the NWS on the application included Chief Garcia and Miss Frias, the NWS presenters said.
Councilmembers and staff noted one practical benefit of the accreditation: it provides a 25-basis-point mitigation credit toward the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). As the city accumulates mitigation credits, that can help insured properties within city limits maintain lower flood-insurance rates or become eligible for additional discounts, Robert Garcia said.
Fire department leadership also acknowledged the cross-departmental effort. Paul Garcia, introduced during public remarks, thanked council and staff and noted the mayor's prior working relationships with the NWS had helped expedite coordination. The mayor and council thanked emergency services and communications staff for their work on the application and on the city’s Alert Hialeah system.
The NWS presenters formally congratulated Hialeah and observed the accreditation will be valid for the next four years; city departments will need to maintain and update the documented procedures to preserve the designation.
