Luzerne County Receives "StormReady" Award from the National Weather Service; Honors "Babe Ruth League" State Champions

(Ashley Borough) - On July 15th, 2007, the Luzerne County "Commissioners in the Community" tour, took the regular meeting of the Commissioners to the Earth Conservancy Building in Ashley Borough.  At the session, Dave Nicosia of the National Weather Service presented the Commissioners, County Publice Safety Director Alan Pugh, and Emergency Management Coordinater Steve Bekanich with the NWS "StormReady Award."  The designation was awarded because Luzerne County has established a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center for violent weather, has more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public,has created a system that monitors weather conditions locally, continually promotes the importance of public readiness through community seminars, and has developed a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.  Also at the meeting, the Commissioners presented resolutions in honor of the Luzerne County Breakers and the Luzerne County Cougars Softball Teams, both of whom swept the Pennsylvania State Championships of the "Babe Ruth League" in their respective age bracketts.