Ithaca College

On December 25, 2016 Ithaca College received official notice that it was awarded the National Weather Service’s StormReady University Certification. The StormReady program recognizes organizations which are prepared to save lives from the onslaught of severe weather through advanced planning, education and awareness.

By becoming a StormReady University, Ithaca College is now a community leader in keeping people informed and safe when severe weather occurs. Currently, only seven other New York universities and colleges (Binghamton University, Cornell University, Syracuse University, University of Rochester, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Plattsburg, and SUNY Upstate) are certified StormReady, and Ithaca College will add to the 204 StormReady Universities in the US.

The StormReady guideline requirements include centralized communication, hydrological monitoring and NOAA warning reception, warning dissemination, and community preparedness. The StormReady program provides a platform for educational opportunities for the entire campus community as well as offering new ways for students to get involved at Ithaca College. Many departments have contributed efforts into achieving StormReady status for Ithaca College and the hope is that the program will continue to encourage cooperation with both on and off campus communities.

The application process was initiated by the Environmental Health and Safety Department in the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management (OPSEM), but most of the leg work and coordination was done by RACHEL BARONE '17. Rachel coordinated all interaction with the National Weather Service, scheduled all the required training and was able to facilitate a financial agreement between Grounds and Transportation, Environmental Health and Safety and Environmental Studies Chair Jason Hamilton for the purchase of a weather station. Having a local weather station was one of the requirements of the StormReady application. Rachel, an Environmental Studies student, knew that Jason Hamilton was looking at purchasing a weather station as a teaching tool but he was short of the needed funds. Rachel was able to identify other parties on campus who could use information from a local weather station, such as Grounds and Transportation and OPSEM, and solicited the necessary funds to make the purchase happen.