StormReady Verified

Emergency Management

Aug. 16, 2022: The National Weather Service granted a three-year renewal of SFA's designation as a StormReady university.

The university first earned the StormReady designation in fall 2019 when the NWS recognized SFA's ongoing preparedness for severe weather conditions and emergencies, with efforts to help the campus and Nacogdoches communities. We ensure civilians are prepared for and ready to respond to any threats, hazards and risks that might occur any time of the year. The renewal of SFA's StormReady designation is a testament to a campus culture of preparedness.

Helping you stay prepared for severe weather

The University of Texas Police Department at SFA serves as the 24-hour warning point for severe weather information, and emergency management's emergency operations center serves as a command center in case of weather emergencies.

The UTS-SFA police department and emergency management team monitor conditions locally and receive real-time warning information through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather channels via multiple channels and mediums.

Severe weather information is then relayed to the campus community through the Jack Alert emergency notification system, Rave Guardian mobile app, outdoor speakers, website alerts, SFA's flagship social media accounts and more.

StormReady qualifications

To be officially StormReady, an institution 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
  • create a system that monitors weather conditions locally 
  • 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.

The StormReady program is voluntary and provides institutions with recommendations and best practices from the local National Weather Service forecast office and state and local emergency managers. StormReady is a registered trademark used by NOAA. The program is part of the NWS's working partnership with the International Association of Emergency Managers and the National Emergency Management Association.