Storm Ready -- The Ohio State University

Congratulations to The Ohio State University on becoming StormReady!

The Ohio State University
Designated StormReady in December 2015; Presentation on March 4, 2016
(From L to R):
Sima Merick, Executive Director, OEMA;
Mike Pannell, Franklin County EMA;
Vernon Baisden, OSU Director of Public Safety;
Jay Kasey, OSU Director of Administration/Planning;
Alec Butner, OSU EMA Student Assistant;
Chris Armentrout, OSU EMA Student Assistant;
Bob Armstrong, Director, OSU Emergency Management;
Julie Dian-Reed, NWS Wilmington;
Sean Grady, Licking County EMA;
Helen Norris, Logan County EMA;
Brandon Peloquin, NWS Wilmington WCM;
Ken Haydu, NWS Wilmington MIC;
Stacey Renker, OSU Student Life.

The Ohio State University became the 4th University in Ohio and one of the largest Universities in the country to join the list of StormReady Universities.

The Ohio State University is well prepared for monitoring and responding to hazardous weather and flooding. The Emergency Management/Department of Public Safety utilizes automated messaging in the form of text alerts, social media, campus screen and audio messages, and conventional media to alert OSU students, faculty and staff of hazardous weather. The OSU Department of Student Life requires that all large organized meetings on campus have a weather safety plan for monitoring and evacuation prior to meeting. OSU Emergency Management also partners closely with Franklin County Emergency Management and Ohio Emergency Management Agency on safety drills and exercises, as well as collaborative resources, all with the goal of weather safety for OSU's students, faculty and staff.

"The Department of Public Safety utilizes a combination of Buckeye Alert Notifications and social media messages to inform all our campuses of severe weather information," said Bob Armstrong, director of Ohio State's Office of Emergency Management and Fire Prevention. "Due to its size, Ohio State had to meet the same requirements as local counties such as Franklin, Cuyahoga and Hamilton."

StormReady is a nationwide community preparedness program which is a grassroots approach to preparing for natural hazards. Today, more than 2,400 StormReady communities and nearly 500 StormReady Supporters throughout the nation help citizens become better prepared for severe weather.

To be recognized as StormReady, an organization must go through a rigorous process, including: maintaining a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center; monitoring local weather and flood conditions; conducting community preparedness programs; ensuring hazardous weather and flooding are addressed in formal emergency management plans, which include training SKYWARN weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

Click here to see our release on Facebook to congratulate OSU on their achievement.