CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The National Weather Service in Charleston has recognized Kanawha County as a “StormReady County” for its work to prepare, communicate and notify citizens and schools of extreme weather events.
A certificate was presented Thursday night to the Kanawha County Commission by NWS Meteorologist In Charge Jamie Bielinkski.
The program is designed to help strengthen community leaders and emergency managers strengthen communication and local safety programs needed to protect lives and properties during and after weather events.
“To communicate and coordinate is key and this county is basically right at the leading edge for the state,” Bielinski said. “For all the warning systems, they have to make sure that the schools and communication continues and the reports to the Weather Service as well.”
Counties interested in joining the program have to apply first. For more information, click here.
Bielinski said there are many advantages to having the StormReady program in Kanawha County.
“People that come in to visit the county, they will enter with signs that says it’s a StormReady recognized county. Schools are welcome to use the logo to show people that the safety of their children, not only weather is there,” she said.
Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said communications have significantly improved over the years.
“We really improved our notification. This is another step up. It’s basically to protect our children. It will help everybody,” Carper said. “It should reduce premiums on the National Flood Insurance program for Kanawha County residents, so anything helps.”
Discussions involving the Elkview Crossings Mall bridge will continue into next week. The bridge collapsed during the June 23 flood which forced businesses in the plaza to shutdown and left hundreds of people without jobs.
Work to fix the bridge has been delayed several times by privately owned group. Carper said the County Commission was promised that the work was expected to take six to eight weeks after the flood.
“I am personally just beside myself this has taken this long,” Carper said. “we’ve explored every single option that we can think of.”
The Commission plans to meet with the owner early next week.