SKYWARN Training Announcement

The East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness will be hosting a SKYWARN training class on January 28, 2010 at 6:30 PM.  The training will be held at the Advanced Traffic Management/Emergency Operations Center located at 3773 Harding Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70807.  You can sign up for the training at http://brgov.com/dept/oep/forms/classsignup.asp?id=84.   Below please find information on the class and if you have any questions please feel free to contact Will White or Michael Roberts at 225-389-2100 or oeptraining@brgov.com. 


What is SKYWARN?


The effects of severe weather are felt every year by many Americans. To obtain critical weather information, NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, established SKYWARN® with partner organizations. SKYWARN® is a volunteer program with nearly 290,000 trained severe weather spotters. These volunteers help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service.


Who is Eligible?


NWS encourages anyone with an interest in public service and access to communication, such HAM radio, to join the SKYWARN® program. Volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, public utility workers and other concerned private citizens. Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches, nursing homes or who have a responsibility for protecting others are also encouraged to become a spotter.


What is included in the training?


    * Basics of thunderstorm development
    * Fundamentals of storm structure
    * Identifying potential severe weather features
    * Information to report
    * How to report information
    * Basic severe weather safety