On Thursday, Aug. 3, Scott Whittier, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the Vermont office for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), presented a StormReady Certification to Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC).
“I’m pleased to present this certificate to Rutland Regional Medical Center,” said Whittier. “This demonstrates that the hospital has met all of the criteria and qualifications required to be recognized as a National Weather Service StormReady Supporter in addition to being a Weather Ready National Ambassador through NOAA.”
Following the presentation,Whittier was given a tour of the hospital’s readiness areas.
In order for Rutland Regional to become a StormReady Supporter, the hospital’s emergency preparedness team worked on incorporating weather preparedness into their existing emergency action plans. Key to this effort was ensuring that the hospital has the process in place to receive and disseminate emergency weather information, preparedness activities, and action items in the case of hazardous weather.
“The tactics and tools we put in place because of the StormReady certification process absolutely helped us to be better prepared during the rain and flooding events in July,” said Abigail Spiegelman, emergency preparedness manager at RRMC. “We provided advanced and continuous communication to our staff which helped maintain staffing levels so the hospital could remain operational and available for our community.”
The StormReady certification represents a partnership between Rutland Regional Medical Center and the National Weather Service to provide the best service possible to the greater Rutland community.
“Being a StormReady Supporter is being part of a Weather-Ready Nation, preparing for a community’s increasing vulnerability to extreme weather and water events,” said Whittier. “In Vermont, extreme weather events can include severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, winter storms, excessive heat and cold, and flooding rains such as the ones we recently experienced.”
RRMC is the largest community hospital in Vermont with 144-beds. It is supported by approximately 1,700 employees, including 256 physicians. For more information visit: rrmc.org.
