The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently designated The Florida Aquarium as a NOAA Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador™. The Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) Ambassador is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to strengthen partnerships with external organizations toward building community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather and water events.
The Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador initiative formally recognizes NOAA partners who are improving the nation’s readiness against extreme weather, water, and climate events. As a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador, The Florida Aquarium is committed to working with NOAA and other Ambassadors to strengthen national and local resilience against extreme weather.
According to the National Weather Service website, WRN Ambassadors will serve as change agents and leaders in their community. They will inspire others to be better informed and prepared, thus helping to minimize, mitigate, or avoid the impacts of natural disasters. WRN commit to perform the following:
- Promote Weather-Ready Nation messages and themes (use of communications toolkits as appropriate) to stakeholders.
- Engage with NOAA personnel on potential collaboration opportunities.
- Share success stories of preparedness and resiliency.
- Serve as an “Example” by educating employees on workplace preparedness and encouraging personal preparedness at home.
NOAA will send Ambassadors information relevant to the Weather-Ready Nation strategic priority, such as toolkits for preparedness weeks and planning information for WRN-sponsored events. Greater dialog will lead to new innovative opportunities for collaboration, all leading toward greater preparedness, responsiveness, and resilience to extreme events.
“The Florida Aquarium takes a vigilant approach to preparedness for extreme weather events and considers the safety of our guests, staff, volunteers, and animals a top priority,” asserted The Florida Aquarium Vice President of Operations Casey Coy. “We are excited to work with NOAA on this initiative and do our part to help make the Tampa community more resilient against extreme weather.”
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