Virtual Storm Spotter Training Is Tomorrow
By REBECCA HAZEN
News Editor
A Skywarn Storm Spotter training class will be tomorrow, April 22 at 6 p.m. for any interested citizens of Dade County.
“We are in our springtime storm season and one of the most important things is our Skywarn Storm Spotters,” Dade County Director of Emergency Services Alex Case, said, during the Thursday, April 15 weekly county update.
Every few years, Dade County, Walker County and the National Weather Service team up to host meetings. Usually the meetings alternate between Dade and Walker County, however, this year the meeting will be held virtually.
Skywarn is a volunteer program with more than 230,000 trained severe weather spotters.
“These volunteers help keep the local community safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service,” Case explained.
These reports help the National Weather Service determine how strong the storm is, what’s happening, and how to predict storm watches, flood watches and tornado watches.
Anyone can attend these classes, including anyone in the general public that is interested in weather, amateur radio operators and emergency personnel.
The topics at the meeting will include the relationship between National Weather Service and Emergency Management, basic radar interpretations, potential severe weather features, and how to report the storm information.
“The more eyes we have looking and reporting this stuff, it makes it safer for the rest of the community,” Case said.
To register for the class, visit dadecounty-ga.gov, and click on “Calendar.” Follow the link on April 22, to get a training registration link. The training is free.
Also during the update, County Executive Ted Rumley reported that there was a setback on the construction of County Road 6. Rumley estimates another four to six weeks before the work will be completed.
“Right at the top we were getting ready to lay down black top, and we found two drainage pipes that were not documented when the road was built,” Rumley said. “We have gotten them dug out and we’re putting them back right now.”
Rumley also reminded community members that Tire Amnesty Day is Saturday, May 1, from 9 to 3 p.m. Twenty tires per person are allowed to be discarded. The tires must be clean. No tractor and truck tires are allowed.
A blessing box pantry, sponsored by the Alliance for Dade, was installed last weekend at Highway 136 and Sunset Drive on Lookout Mountain. The Construction Trades class at Dade County High School built the pantry. Rumley encouraged people to donate items to the pantry.
According to Rumley, there are plenty of vaccine appointments open both at the Health Department and given by Primary Health Care at the Dade County Sports Complex,
Dade County has seen 17 cases in the past two weeks, for a total of 1,193 COVID-19 cases. The number of cases can be found at https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report.