The National Weather Service (NWS) is transforming its operations to help America take action against extreme weather, water, and climate events. The NWS is shifting its focus to not just delivering the forecast, but also to providing more information that enables its partners, and the public, to make fast, smart decisions to save lives and property and enhance livelihoods.
This “last mile” approach of working with partners and the public to ensure better decision making is a key part of the “Weather-Ready Nation” (WRN) initiative. The devastating impacts of extreme events like record breaking snowfall, violent tornadoes, destructive hurricanes, widespread flooding, and devastating drought can be reduced by making smart choices before, during, and after extreme events. But the NWS knows it can’t build a Weather-Ready Nation alone, and is strengthening and expanding its relationships with external organizations -- thousands of businesses, agencies, and other groups known as “WRN Ambassadors” who are dedicated to collaborating with NWS and NOAA, and help spread WRN messaging to their employees and stakeholders.
The goal of the WRN Ambassador initiative is to foster innovative, stronger collaborations across government, non-profits, academia, and private industry to help make the nation more ready, responsive, and resilient against extreme environmental hazards. As a WRN Ambassador, organizations commit to working with NOAA and other Ambassadors to strengthen national resilience against extreme weather. The effort is a force-multiplier for NWS; sharing messages with with our Ambassadors reaches many times more people than the NWS can alone, including vulnerable populations in their communities. WRN Ambassadors serve as change agents and leaders in their communities. They inspire others to be better informed and prepared, helping to minimize or even avoid the impacts of these natural disasters.
NWS Rapid City, SD recognizes Mt. Rushmore National Memorial as a WRN Ambassador.
The NWS currently recognizes nearly 6,000 organizations as WRN Ambassadors -- organizations that are as diverse as communities across the country! Big or small, every organization can add their commitment toward building a Weather-Ready Nation. WRN Ambassadors are all around us -- shopping centers, national parks, fire and police departments, traditional NWS partners within America’s Weather Industry, and organizations previously with no connection to NWS or NOAA. Many school and universities around the country have joined as well, dedicating to prepare their students and staff for the onset of inclement weather. Emergency management agencies at all levels (local, state, and federal) all across the nation are using the ambassador initiative as a pathway to make their communities weather-ready.
NWS Ambassadors are a vital part of WRN. Together we inform and empower communities, businesses, and people to make pre-event decisions that can be life-saving and prevent or limit devastating economic losses. Consider your organization as our next WRN Ambassador today!
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