Kentucky Exposition Center & Fairgrounds becomes StormReady!

On October 9th, the National Weather Service office in Louisville recognized the Kentucky Exposition Center and Fairgrounds as a StormReady Supporter, making them only the second StormReady state fairgrounds in the U.S. Over the past two years, the security staff at the Expo Center have dramatically increased their efforts to partner with the NWS in its mission of protecting the lives of staff and visitors at the many facilities used year-round at the fairgrounds.

The Kentucky Expo Center now has an onsite EOC with a computer dedicated to weather monitoring, ensuring high weather situation awareness at all times. During the Kentucky State Fair, when more than 100,000 people can be at the fairgrounds on a given day, the security office consults with NWS forecasters via NWSchat, and during heightened threats, an NWS Louisville staff member is detailed to their EOC to provided decision support services.

The Kentucky Exposition Center is also a Weather Ready Nation Ambassador for the NWS in Louisville, and has offered to host Skywarn Spotter training for the metro area in their facilities in the spring of 2016.

National Weather Service Louisville presenting the StormReady certificate to the Kentucky Exposition Center and Fairgrounds.

Left to Right: John Gordon (NWS Louisville - Meteorologist in Charge), Chris Brawner (Kentucky State Fair Board - Assistant Director - Security), Rip Rippetoe (Kentucky State Fair Board - President & CEO), Joe Sullivan (NWS Louisville - Warning Coordination Meteorologist), Tim Postlethwait (Kentucky State Fair Board - Director of Venue Service, and Ron Steve (NWS Louisville - StormReady Program Leader).