Purdue University Northwest (PNW) once again has been designated by the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Northern Indiana and Chicago StormReady Advisory Boards as a StormReady university.
The certification applies to both the Hammond and Westville campuses, as well as the Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest, and makes PNW one of only eight universities in Indiana that have been recognized as StormReady. PNW has been a StormReady university for more than eight years with certifications issued every three years.
“We are proud to have earned this designation,” stated Brian Miller, director of Public Safety at PNW. “We have worked hard to develop a program and keep it updated so that PNW continues to meet the criteria of the National Weather Service’s StormReady program. This is one of many ways we protect the members of our university and surrounding communities.”
StormReady is a nationally recognized community preparedness program that encourages government organizations, colleges, universities and cities to take a proactive approach in preparing for severe weather events. To qualify for certification, a university must meet the specific guidelines outlined by the NWS. PNW’s extensive plan includes having trained storm spotters on duty 24/7, campus weather stations that receive NWS emergency transmissions, and detailed procedures for faculty, staff and visitors to follow in the event of a severe weather incident.
Miller works in partnership with the NWS, county emergency management agencies across three counties and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to ensure PNW’s preparedness and safety.
“At any given time we could have thousands of people on our campuses,” Miller said. “It’s not if we have a storm, it’s when, and we have taken the necessary steps to make sure we are prepared to safeguard our campus members.”
