NOAA’s National Weather Service Declares The Branson Airport As “StormReady”

Nov. 18, 2010 - PRLog -- BRANSON, MISSOURI - Branson Airport has earned the distinction of being a StormReady Supporter® and was recognized for completing a set of rigorous warning response criteria by officials from NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) and the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency.
   
   “We are proud to have received this distinction,” stated Jeff Bourk, Branson Airport’s executive director. “Southwest Missouri sees its share of severe weather and helping our community to be prepared benefits us all.”

   “Safety and security are two of our highest priorities at the Branson Airport,” said Jeremy Berven, Branson Airport’s deputy director of operations and maintenance. “By becoming a StormReady Supporter we look forward to building on both of those priorities.”

   “StormReady encourages communities and businesses to take a proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather awareness and response," said Steve Runnels, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the NWS Forecast Office in Springfield, MO.  “Nationwide there have been 1690 communities and counties recognized as being StormReady, including Branson and Forsyth. In becoming just the 3rd in Missouri and 129th national StormReady Supporter, the Branson Airport shares the efforts of StormReady to reduce the impact of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.”
      
   The National Weather Service says the nationwide preparedness program uses a grassroots approach to help communities; commercial centers and universities develop plans to handle local severe weather and flooding threats. The program is voluntary and provides communities with clear-cut advice from a partnership between local NWS forecast offices and state and local emergency managers.  
   
   “This recognition is even more meaningful following the series of tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood events have that hit southwest Missouri,” said Bill Davis, Meteorologist In Charge of the Springfield NWS office.  “Nationwide, more than 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 2,500 floods and 1,000 tornadoes impact the United States annually.  Potentially deadly weather can affect every person in the country.  That’s why NOAA's National Weather Service developed the StormReady program.”

   Branson Airport completed the following criteria to become a StormReady Supporter:
•   Established a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center;
•   Demonstrated the ability to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings in more than one way and to alert the public at the airport;
•   Created a system that monitors local weather conditions;
•   Developed a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters.

# # #

Opening its doors May of 2009, Branson Airport LLC is the first privately developed and operated commercial service airport in the United States. Currently serviced by AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines and Branson AirExpress; additional carriers and destinations are on the horizon. Located in the heart of the Ozarks and centrally located in the Midwest, the airport also boasts a state of the art FBO, Branson JetCenter and a full service travel agency and public charter operator, FlyBranson Travel LLC d/b/a Branson AirExpress. For more information on Branson Airport LLC and any of its subsidiaries please visit FlyBranson.com.