As Tropical

Storm Isidore visits Coweta County this week, the county is waiting for

final recognition as StormReady.

The designation

is done through the National Weather Service and a community or county

must meet criteria established jointly between the weather service and

state and local emergency management officials.

Earlier this

month, officials conducted an ainspection of the county's 911 center.

Coweta officials are waiting for the final word to be designated as one

of the StormReady counties in the state.

Criteria for

inclusion include:

Having a local

24-hour warning point and an Emergency Operations Center.

Having multiple

ways of receiving NWS warnings.

Being able

to monitor local weather/river conditions.

Having multiple

ways of alerting the public.

Promoting public

readiness through community seminars and presentations.

Having a formal

hazardous weather plan.

Having trained

spotters.

Conducting

periodic drills / exercises.

Interacting

with their supporting NWS office.

The essence

of the program is to ensure the entire warning system performs properly

when severe weather strikes.