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HAZE Temp: 48 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Thursday, November 21, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend October 7, 2002 Medford is ready to weather a storm National Weather Service says the city is prepared to handle life-threatening rains By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune From thunderstorms and snowstorms to fires and power outages, Medford is ready to respond quickly to hazardous situations caused by severe weather, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration needs storm spotters There are about 500 volunteer storm spotters in a nine-county area that includes Jackson County. Storm spotters are trained citizens who are alert to weather conditions, and when they reach a severe level, spotters report their findings to the National Weather Service. For more information on becoming a storm spotter, contact Jim Reynolds at 776-4303. Medford has been recognized by the NWS Medford bureau for meeting the national criteria for having equipment, a weather-monitoring system and operation plans in place to handle weather-related emergencies. "Medford is the first city in Oregon to be StormReady," Roger Williams, meteorologist in charge of the NWS Medford bureau, said during the presentation at Thursday’s council session. The National Weather Service’s StormReady program helps communities guard against dangerous storms. There are about 450 communities nationwide that are recognized as StormReady, including Wallowa County, he said. He said that the larger the population, the stricter the requirements. Life-threatening storms don’t happen here as often as they do in southeastern states, but they can happen, Williams said in a telephone interview. Wayne Pace, public works superintendent, said that a lot of the criteria is already in place, especially after the Y2K preparation. He said Medford public works used the NOAA program to test themselves. "It’s like in high school or college, you really didn’t know how you were doing until you took the test," said Pace. "We didn’t want the event to be the test." Part of the program, he said, is being aware of problem areas, and having a detailed response plan. One weak spot during a flood, for example, is downtown Medford. "The downtown area has a lot of undersized storm drains because of when they were built," he said. "Bear Creek is very vulnerable to high water levels." The guidelines have helped the department develop thorough plans, he said, which speed up reaction time. "We’re going to have to protect traffic with high water signs and protect some buildings and maybe sandbag some areas," he said. Also required are NOAA weather radios, which sound an alert tone when the NWS issues a warning. Williams said NOAA encourages people to have them in homes, offices and schools, so that in the case of flash floods or severe hail storms, for example, people can be warned and can determine if quick action needs to be taken to protect themselves or their property. Williams said radios cost around $20 and are available at electronics stores. Williams said the program improves communication between the city and the weather service. "What it symbolizes," said Williams, "is that the city of Medford has ensured that they are better prepared to serve the community in case something happens. "More than a monetary gain, it’s just kind of a peace of mind that the city has made the effort." Part of Thursday’s recognition included the presentation of two "StormReady Community" street signs, which will be posted at locations to be determined by the Public Works department. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S