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Eaton County achieves National Weather Service StormReady recognition; emergency staff earn PEM credentials
Summary
County emergency management officials told the public safety committee Eaton County earned StormReady recognition from the National Weather Service and that two staff members completed the Professional Emergency Manager designation requirements.
An Eaton County emergency management official reported the county has achieved StormReady recognition from the National Weather Service after plan reviews, site visits and coordination with local meteorologists, the committee was told on Dec. 5.
The official, identified in the meeting as Ryan, said the designation recognizes communities that meet standards for hazardous-weather monitoring, communications and planning. He read from a congratulatory letter from the National Weather Service Grand Rapids office outlining StormReady standards, including multiple ways to receive and disseminate hazardous-weather information, conducting exercises, and training first responders and dispatchers.
Ryan said Eaton County will reapply for recertification in four years, in November 2028, and that the county will display recognition materials in its emergency operations center. He also highlighted staff training: two county emergency-preparedness staff, Ella and Maddie Vervaca of the Barry-Eaton District Health Department, completed more than 150 hours of training and passed the exam for a Professional Emergency Manager (PEM) designation.
Ryan said the county is working on a plan-synchronization effort to place all emergency plans (emergency operations, recovery, continuity of government and departmental continuity plans) on a common review and repromulgation schedule and that staff will present those revised plans to the incoming board after the new year.
Ending paragraph: The committee acknowledged the StormReady recognition and congratulated staff on training accomplishments; no policy vote accompanied the report.
