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Upstate earns StormReady designation from National Weather Service

Upstate earns StormReady designation from National Weather Service

With more than 9,000 employees and a service area of 1.8 million people, being prepared for weather-related emergencies is essential for Upstate Medical University.

Twenty Upstate employees recently participated in weather-spotter training sessions, as part of the National Weather Service (NWS) StormReady program. In addition to the training sessions, to be recognized as StormReady, Upstate must maintain a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center, have more than one way to receive warnings from the NWS and alert the public, have the ability to monitor local weather and flood conditions, conduct routine preparedness programs, and ensure that hazardous weather and flooding are addressed in Upstate’s formal emergency management plans.

National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist David Nicosia led Upstate’s training sessions and presented the StormReady designation to Upstate Medical University Interim President Gregory L. Eastwood, MD, and Upstate University Hospital CEO John McCabe, MD, at a recent ceremony on the Upstate campus.

Upstate is one of just six universities in the state to participate in the program and receive the designation, to date.

“This is an important accomplishment for Upstate Medical University,” said Nicosia. “The Syracuse area has a long history of severe weather, snowstorms, floods and even a few tornadoes. SUNY Upstate has taken all the necessary steps to be better prepared for whatever Mother Nature has in store. These efforts will no doubt make the University safer and could save lives in the future,” he added.

Upstate’s Emergency Management Director Christopher Dunham said: “The partnership with the National Weather Service enables Upstate Medical University to better prepare for weather-related events that could impact our patients, employees and students. It supplements our existing communication efforts on extreme weather warnings and offers us a partner we can look to for additional information in a time of crisis.”

Founded in 1999, the nationwide community preparedness program readies communities for natural hazards. More than 2,300 communities, counties and universities nationwide are participants.

Upstate’s StormReady designation is valid for three years.

Caption: In a brief ceremony Nov. 3, the National Weather Service designated Upstate Medical University as a StormReady institution, prepared to face all kinds of weather. On hand for the ceremony are National Weather Service meteorologist David Nicosia, Upstate Emergency Management Director Christopher Dunham, Upstate University Hospital CEO John McCabe, MD, and Upstate Interim President Gregory L. Eastwood, MD.

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