Owensboro business earns StormReady certification from National Weather Service

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT) — A lengthy certification process ends in a celebration today for an Owensboro business. This afternoon, Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline received national recognition for being Storm Ready.

"We are one of four companies in Kentucky and I think the first in western Kentucky to win the storm ready award," says the Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline CEO and President, Shawn Patterson.

The company celebrated the milestone with a ceremony with the National Weather Service.

"Becoming storm-ready is a very significant accomplishment," says Christine Welgos, a Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Welgos says getting certified is not easy.

"We have a checklist we have to go through," she says.

To become certified, Southern Star had to complete five tasks: establish an emergency operations center, have multiple severe weather notification systems, create a weather monitoring system, promote public readiness through seminars, and develop a formal severe weather plan including storm spotter training and emergency exercises. The certification lasts for four years.

"They have backpacks with first aid kits and weather radios. They have really gone above and beyond to try to do everything they can think of," says Welgos.

Welgos says Kentucky is no stranger when it comes to severe weather. She says Daviess County has been impacted by 8 tornadoes since the 1950s, three of which directly affected Owensboro.

"This is obviously very concerning and is the very reason why it is important to have the tools and resources available," Welgos says.

"First and foremost, we want to take care of our team and our community in which we serve, to be storm ready... to have a place to go and tools to last through a weather event is important," Patterson says.