WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #70

PINELLAS COUNTY ARES AND ACS HOST RECORD SETTING SKYWARN CLASS

Private Citizens, ham radio operators and CERT team members gathered last Tuesday night at the new Pinellas County EOC for a SKYWARN training class. The class was hosted by the Pinellas County ACS/ARES unit, along with their sponsoring agency Pinellas Co. Emergency Management.

SkywarnTraining121515_WX4DANThe class had 100 attendees, and was taught by Dan Noah, the NOAA Warning coordination meteorologist at the Ruskin, FL national weather service office. The class was welcomed to the new Pinellas County EOC by Emergency Manager Sally Bishop, who said in part, “This effort on the part of our ACS group netted the largest Spotter training class that Ruskin National Weather Service has ever had.  We are grateful for the community service provided by the Spotters as it is a vital piece of the process that takes place between the Weather Service and Emergency Management to ensure the community is warned and as ready as possible for weather events.”

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Clayton Parrott, KJ4RUS, Pinellas County ARES/ACS Radio Officer and Emergency Coordinator said, “We are helping our citizens become more aware of weather related events such as Tornados, Lightning, and now the threat of El Nino by providing them the tools such as this SKYWARN training. In doing this we help those to be better prepared for severe weather related events in their communities”

Thanks to Kevin Poorman KV4CT, ARRL Public Information Officer, for the information and photos for this press release.

END OF PRESS RELEASE