Storm spotter training class scheduled

Living in Oklahoma usually means either a fascination with or fear of tornadoes and thunderstorms, both of which come with a healthy respect for the awesome, if not unpredictable, power of Mother Nature.

For those who have considered becoming part of the process when it comes to reporting on weather events, Sequoyah County Emergency Management is hosting a SKYWARN Storm Spotter training class at 6:30 p.m. March 16.

The class, presented in conjunction with the National Weather Service in Tulsa, will be held at the Sequoyah County Training Center/Emergency Operations Center (the old Agents Funeral Home chapel), 108 E. Chickasaw, in Sallisaw.

Instructor for the training class is Warning Coordination meteorologist Ed Calianese from the National Weather Service.

The class is open to all who are interested in becoming a certified storm spotter. There is no fee, no pre-registration, nor any age limit. Organizers just ask that the age of the child is one in which disruptions are kept to a minimum. The training will last approximately 2.5 hours, with a break 15-minute break.

The SKYWARN program is a public service, and volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, public utility workers and other concerned private citizens. Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches and nursing homes or who have a responsibility for protecting others are encouraged to become a spotter.

During the training, participants will learn:

• Basics of thunderstorm development

• Fundamentals of storm structure

• Identifying potential severe weather features

• Information to report

• How to report information

• Basic severe weather safety

Sequoyah County Emergency Management uses trained storm spotters during extreme weather events, and anyone who wants to volunteer is encouraged to become certified.