Towns County EMA encourages community to attend SKYWARN course

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Towns County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) encourages citizens and first responders with an interest in weather to attend an Oct. 18 SKYWARN training session in Young Harris. The course will cover the importance of storm spotters, the basics of thunderstorms, the relationship between the National Weather Service (NWS) and EMA with the media, basic radar interpretation, identification of potential severe storm features, information on reporting weather observations, and storm spotter safety tips.

SKYWARN storm spotters are an important group of volunteers that report severe weather, winter weather, and resulting damage to the NWS, the organization’s website explains. These reports aid the weather service in accomplishing its mission of “protection of life and property” by providing forecasters essential information of what is occurring at ground level. SKYWARN spotters receive training from the NWS, learning weather safety, storm structure, and reportable criteria.  The course is typically held in conjunction with local government or area SKYWARN groups.

“Towns County has been certified as StormReady for several years,” Towns County EMA Director Brandon Walls said. “The recertification cycle is every four years, the last being in 2016.” In order to be recognized as StormReady, a county must meet criteria jointly established between the NWS and state-local emergency management officials.  Approximately 230,000 citizens have participated in the SKYWARN program nationwide.

The SKYWARN course is scheduled Friday, Oct. 18, at the Towns County Emergency Operations Center at 1100 Jack Dayton Circle in Young Harris, GA, at 6 pm.

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For additional information, contact Towns County EMA at ema@townscountyga.com