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Cannon officially StormReady

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alexxis Pons Abascal
  • 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The 27th Special Operations Wing has been officially deemed StormReady at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.

Cannon completed the necessary application and verification phases to be declared StormReady in early 2013 and will soon be formally certified by members of the National Weather Service. While it is the fourteenth base to become StormReady, Cannon is the first military installation in the state of New Mexico to meet standards.

"The StormReady program assists the base by strengthening our partnership with local emergency management officials and the NWS to raise awareness about severe weather and ensure our plans, notification procedures and response capabilities are intact," said Master Sgt. Joshua Rosenberg, 27th Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron Readiness and Emergency Management Flight superintendent. "We also receive assistance from the NWS to ensure that we continue to meet their StormReady standards. According to the NWS, StormReady communities are better prepared for severe weather and often have fewer fatalities or property damage than those that haven't completed the necessary steps."

The StormReady declaration for Cannon denotes a commitment to saving lives and protecting property through public awareness and preparedness.

"The base provided information about our Emergency Management program, our notification system, weather monitoring systems, planning and exercises as part of the process to become certified," Rosenberg stated. "Because we're a military base with aviation assets and have federal, Department of Defense and Air Force regulations, most of the NWS standards were simple for Cannon to meet."

"We had to establish a 24-hour warning point and an Emergency Operations Center, and have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts to alert the public," he continued. "We also had to create a system that monitors weather conditions locally, promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars, and develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises."

According to Rosenberg, the base stands to benefit from being StormReady because it helps the Cannon population know that while there is a potential for hazards, people are working to mitigate them.

"Many people forget that we are in Tornado Alley," Rosenberg stated. "Even if it's not tornadoes, we are in an area that is battered by high winds and thunderstorms. In some communities, homeowner and rental insurance rates have been lowered because the community was deemed StormReady."

"This is definitely recognition for all of Team Cannon, not just those directly related to Emergency Management or severe weather response," he continued. "Every exercise we conduct is a validation of our preparedness to deal with all hazards and was included in the consideration for our acceptance. Cannon being recognized as 'StormReady' is another example of how, when tested, we make sure our people are taken care of and the mission is accomplished."

For more information, visit the StormReady website ,or contact the Readiness and Emergency Management flight at 575-784-4177.

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