NORWICH – The Chenango County Emergency Management Office is seeking national recognition for being ready for whatever Mother Nature has in store.

EMO Director Matthew Beckwith says the department is currently working with the National Weather Service for national “Storm Ready” certification. According to the National Weather Service, being “Storm Ready” means having a plan to “handle all types of severe weather, from tornadoes to tsunamis.”

“It really has to do with how we, as a county, alert our citizens in the event of a natural disaster,” said Beckwith. “We have to meet certain criteria for emergency warning and alerting procedures for citizens in the county; and if we meet that criteria, then the county becomes certified as ‘Storm Ready.”

Beckwith said Chenango County already has local Storm Ready certification. Having national certification would be another step up.

The county is on track to becoming certified, using resources like Facebook and HyperLink, a mass communication program that alerts citizens of inclement weather.