Weather-Ready Nation Ambassadors

 

Why Become a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador?

In order to truly build communities that are prepared for hazardous weather events, it takes the effort of the entire community. That is why your National Weather Service (NWS) is looking for Ambassadors within organizations to promote awareness of and preparedness for hazardous weather within your sphere of influence. We want to formally acknowledge the efforts of those that are helping to build a Weather-Ready Nation. Together, we can build communities that are resilient to all types of weather hazards.  

 

Who Can Become a WRN Ambassador?

Any organization across all levels of government Businesses large and small TV, Radio, and Print media Non-profit and non-governmental organizations Churches Home Owner Associations Academia Anyone who shares critical weather information

Benefits of Becoming an Ambassador:

• Use your local NWS office in Goodland, Kansas as a resource to enhance weather safety plans. Periodic emails to WRN Ambassadors will provide information such as links to newly posted outreach material on relevant hazards, as well as updates on experimental or newly operational NOAA/NWS products, services, or data. 
• Introduction to a complete array of NOAA/NWS products and services
• Permission to use the WRN logo allows organizations to identify themselves as steadfast partners in this initiative
• Ambassadors are part of a unified effort to increase consistency in messaging
• Work on collaborative projects to better protect our partners and the general public from extreme weather

Tim Lynch working with the Prairie Museum of Art and History, presenting information on flooding at Water Ways Grand Opening	Dave Floyd working with Thomas County Emergency Management and Jay Prater, KAKE News, to program NOAA weather radios	Jesse Lundquist working with the Kansas Travel Information Center in Goodland, KS to inform passing travelers of severe weather dangers	Ryan Husted working with the High Plains Museum in Goodland, KS to educate the public on the new GOES-R series of satellites

How to Become an Ambassador:

For more information on how to become a Weather Ready Nation Ambassador, please contact the NWS Goodland Warning Coordination Meteorologist, Ryan Husted, email Ryan.Husted@noaa.gov...or NWS Goodland meteorologists by email at nws.goodland@noaa.gov or phone, 785-899-7119.

To learn more about this national initiative, visit the Weather-Ready Nation website: www.weather.gov/wrn

To join us in this exciting program, click here.

 

 

Recognizing our Ambassadors of Excellence:

The National Weather Service uses the WRN Ambassadors of Excellence campaign to recognize and thank Ambassadors that have gone above and beyond the call of duty in helping our agency build a Weather-Ready Nation.

                   2022: Burlington, CO Conservation District 

The Burlington, CO Conservation District has been a fantastic ambassador for building a Weather-Ready Nation. Each year, during the summer, the agency puts on a a children's camp and ensures that the National Weather Service in involved. Both the Conservation District and NWS Goodland view this as a great opportunity to teach kids about weather and safety. A three-hour weather and safety education session is set aside each year where kids can learn about a variety of weather fundamentals, how weather can impact them, what the main weather threats in our area area, and most importantly, how to stay safe when disaster strikes. By involving kids, we are also promoting discussions among families in the area and building a community that is prepared and resilient to disaster.

                   2021: Yuma County, Colorado Emergency Management 

Yuma County Emergency Management Director, Roger Brown, always goes above and beyond to share important weather safety information, especially leading up to dangerous weather events. In 2021, Roger took a big leap forward to cater weather information to ALL members of his community by fixing an information gap with the growing Hispanic population. According to Roger, over 30% of the population in Yuma County is now Hispanic; however, there was little to no translated weather safety information readily available. Roger worked in partnership with NWS Goodland meteorologists, Trish Coberly (Yuma County Webmaster), and Sadie Martinez (State of Colorado Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Access and Functional Needs Coordinator) to translate the Yuma County OEM website (http://oem.yumacountysheriff.net/) into Spanish (http://oem.yumacountysheriff.net/es/). In addition, translated safety materials posted to the website were sourced from other agencies (FEMA, CO DHSEM, NWS), or developed and translated by this collaborative effort. Finally, NWS Goodland social media pages were also linked to the Yuma OEM website, an important step since NWS Goodland warning graphics are automatically translated into Spanish, providing instantaneous, life-saving weather updates.

                   2020: Logan County, Kansas Emergency Management 

Logan County Emergency Management Director Pappy Lies' everyday activity exemplifies exactly what the Weather Ready Nation Ambassador Program is looking for. Each day, Pappy will send weather information to other county officials, ensuring they are prepared for whatever is heading their way. Pappy has recently worked extensively with a new state park, Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park, in his county. Pappy and park officials have conducted drills and solidified lines of frequent communication as there isn't much shelter at the park, leaving potential park visitors stranded when significant weather approaches. Finally, Pappy also makes it a point to frequently share weather information with the NWS. Pappy takes the time to query citizens of his county on Facebook for rainfall and storm reports, and then passes those on to the NWS. All of these tasks involve sharing critical weather information, which is precisely what the WRN Program asks of our Ambassadors.

                   2019: Cheyenne County, Kansas Emergency Management 

Cheyenne County Emergency Management works hard every day to ensure that residents of the county are aware of weather information. The Director, Ryan Murray, frequently posts hazardous weather information on social media and strives to keep the local citizens up-to-date and safe. Ryan spreads our weather messages, allowing us to reach a much wider audience. In May 2019, he helped NWS Goodland participate in a community event, the Big Kansas Road Trip, which allowed our office to showcase its capabilities to the public. In addition to Cheyenne County, Ryan also serves Sherman and Rawlins Counties in Northwest Kansas.

                   2018: Kansas Travel Information Center - Goodland, KS

The Kansas Travel Information Center near Goodland reaches hundreds to sometimes thousands of people a day as they travel along Interstate 70. The staff at the travel center share weather messages and outlooks to passersby who may be unaware of the danger. Additionally, this partnership has resulted in the development of display boards for the center that highlight important winter weather and severe weather facts for drivers to remember as they travel through the region. We are fortunate to have such an amazing force multiplier to support our mission and help us build a Weather-Ready Nation.

                   2017: Norton County Emergency Management and Prairie Dog State Park

In 2017, NWS Goodland worked with Norton County Emergency Management and Prairie Dog State Park on a plan to keep those at the park safe during inclement weather. With poor cell service and little shelter available, it was recognized that Prairie Dog State Park in Norton County was vulnerable in times of hazardous weather. A lightning plan was developed that put procedures in place to warn people in the park and reduce the threat of injuries.  (Pictured: Ryan Husted with Norton County Emergency Management)

 

 

Our 84 Tri-State Region Weather-Ready Nation Ambassadors as of June 27, 2023: ​

• KDOT District 3 (KS)
• Tumbleweed Midstream (CO)
• Goodland Games (KS)
• Cheyenne County Emergency Management (CO)
• Northwest Kansas Technical College (KS) 
• Oberlin Herald (KS) 
• Buffalo Bill Cultural Center (KS)
• Logan County Health Department (KS)
• Dundy County Stratton Schools (NE)
• USD 412 Hoxie and USD 316 Golden Plains School Districts (KS)
• USD 200 Greeley County Schools (KS)
• USD 105 Rawlins County Schools (KS)
• The Norton Telegram (KS)
• KYVZ Radio (KS)
• Greeley County Health Services (KS)
• BW Telcom (NE)
• Benkelman Housing Authority (NE)
• Fort Wallace Memorial Association (KS)
• USD 241 Wallace County Schools (KS)
• Wallace County Sheriff and Emergency Management (KS)
• Arriba-Flagler School District (CO)
• Oasis Travel Center (KS)
• Hitchcock County Sheriff's Office (NE)
• Hitchcock County Schools (NE)
• Cheyenne County School District (CO)
• Kit Carson School District (CO)
• Wray School District RD-2 (CO)
• The Wray Gazette (CO)
• Gove County Medical Center (KS)
• Gove County Advocate (KS)
• Goodland Star News (KS)
• S&T Communications (KS)
• The Burlington Record (CO)
• The Sheridan Sentinel (KS)
• Rawlins County Square Deal (KS)
• Decision Weather (KS)
• Hitchcock County News and Benkelman Post (NE)
• Colby Convention & Visitor Center (KS)
• Washington-Yuma Combined Communications (CO)
• K-State NWREC (Northwest Research Extension Center) (KS)
• Burlington Conservation District (CO)
• Decatur County Emergency Management (KS)
• Kansas Department of Agriculture (KS)
• McCook Community College (NE)
• Red Willow County (NE)
• Greeley County Emergency Management (KS)
• Wichita County Emergency Services (KS)
• Heartland Christian School (KS)
• Rawlins County (KS)
• Sheridan County Emergency Management (KS)
• Kit Carson County Emergency Management (CO)
• Graham County Emergency Services (KS)
• Colby Community College (KS)
• Brewster USD 314 (KS)
• USD 274 Oakley Public Schools (KS)
• Burlington RE-6J School District (CO)
• Gove County Emergency Management (KS)
• Logan County Emergency Management (KS)
• Cheyenne County Hospital (KS)
• Prairie Dog State Park (KS)
• Sherman County 911 Communications (KS)
• Norton County Emergency Management (KS)
• High Plains Radio (NE)
• Hometown Family Radio - KIOD/KSWN/KZMC (NE)
• Dundy County Emergency Management (NE)
• Goodland Housing Authority (KS)
• Mountain West Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center
• Kansas Travel Information Center - Goodland (KS)
• Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (CO)
• KADL Radio (KS)
• Colorado Department of Transportation (CO)
• Great Plains Interagency Dispatch Center (NE)
• High Plains Regional Climate Center (NE)
• Nebraska Department of Roads (NE)
• High Plains Museum (KS)
• Prairie Museum of Art and History (KS)
• Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KS)
• High Plains Chapter of the AMS/NWA (KS & NE)
• Yuma County Office of Emergency Management (CO)
• Thomas County Emergency Management (KS)
• Cheyenne County Emergency Management (KS)
• Rocking M Media, LLC (KS)
• Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (CO)
• Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NE)

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