WBRZ - Baton Rouge

The National Weather Service's Stormready program assists communities to prepare for and respond to severe weather events. Last June, the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming became the first national park to earn this designation. Due to the volume of visitors year-round to the park, officials were obligated to establish a 24-hour center to receive weather service warnings, establish a center for emergency operations, provide community seminars to educate visitors, establish a system to monitor local weather and create a formal hazardous weather plan. Weatherwise magazine reports that as a new Stormready site, the 484 square miles of peaks, valleys and trails will ensure visitor safety for three years. In 2013 the park must go through a renewal process to retain the status.