Sandwich now designated as National Weather Service StormReady community

The City of Sandwich is ready for whatever Mother Nature chooses to throw its way.

Sandwich has been designated as a StormReady community by the National Weather Service. To be designated as a StormReady community, a community must establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center, have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public and create a system that monitors weather conditions locally.

"With this, we have close relationships and real time interactions with the National Weather Service," Sandwich Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director Tony Eberle said. "We also have the ability to reach out to other localities."

Communities must also 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.

"One of the things that we want to do is to continue to work with the community and start to build that idea of weather awareness," Eberle said. "Typically, if you have an emergency, you're going to be your own first responder for at least the first 72 hours. That's kind of what you plan for."

Eberle noted that it has been an active year in Illinois for severe weather. In presenting Eberle and his team with a sign designating Sandwich as a StormReady community, Mike Bardou of the National Weather Service talked about the importance of being prepared in the event of thunderstorms, tornadoes, snowstorms and floods.

"StormReady is not just a one and done type thing," Bardou said during the Sept. 16 Sandwich Committee-of-the-Whole Council meeting. "This is an ongoing process. They have to keep updating their plans and reviewing their plans."

Eberle gave credit to his team for their work in helping to achieve the recognition.

"It's not just me, it's a team effort," he said.

According to the National Weather Service, some 98% of all declared disasters are weather related, leading to around 500 deaths per year and nearly $15 billion in damage.

The National Weather Service evaluates StormReady communities every four years to make sure they keep up-to-date on what needs to be done to be prepared for severe weather. Oswego, Plainfield, Joliet, Aurora, Batavia and St. Charles are some other communities that have received the StormReady designation.

Kendall, Will and DuPage counties also are designated as being StormReady along with Joliet Junior College, Lewis University in Romeoville and College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia is one of the government facilities that is certified as being StormReady.

To fulfill its mission, Sandwich Illinois Emergency Management Agency relies on its volunteers. Right now, the agency has six volunteers.

"One thing that we're trying to do is get more volunteers," Eberle said. "A lot of the team will go out spotting in the summer for severe storms, when it's not dangerous."

To volunteer, go to the city's website at sandwich.il.us.