LaFayette, GA (June 18, 2025) – The National Weather Service (NWS) has officially renewed Walker County’s designation as a StormReady Community, marking the fourth time the county has received the recognition since 2015. The renewed status will remain in effect for four years and highlights the county’s continued commitment to severe weather preparedness and public safety.
“Whether it be snow and ice, the potential for a tornado, or a severe thunderstorm, we strive to minimize the vulnerability of our citizens during potentially hazardous weather,” said Curtis Creekmur, Emergency Management Director for Walker County. “The StormReady designation means we meet or exceed key benchmarks set by the NWS and Georgia emergency management officials for planning and community notification.”
To qualify for the StormReady designation, communities must meet a series of preparedness criteria. These include maintaining a formal hazardous weather plan, operating a 24-hour warning point and Emergency Operations Center (EOC), conducting community education efforts, training storm spotters, and utilizing multiple channels to disseminate weather warnings to the public.
Joe Legge, the county’s Director of Communications, highlighted the importance of community notification tools like SirenGPS, which currently serves over 7,400 local subscribers. “We encourage everyone to sign up for this free service to receive potentially lifesaving information as soon as it’s issued by the NWS,” Legge said.
SirenGPS delivers alerts via smartphone notifications, text messages, and even phone calls to landlines when severe weather warnings are issued. Residents can enroll by downloading the SirenGPS app or by contacting the Walker County Board of Commissioners directly.
In addition to SirenGPS, Walker County utilizes Facebook’s Local Alert system to broadcast warnings on social media and has installed several digital message boards throughout the region to alert motorists of hazardous conditions in real time.
The StormReady program is a nationwide initiative designed by the NWS to help communities improve emergency readiness and response capabilities. Walker County was first designated a StormReady Community in 2015, with this most recent renewal serving as continued validation of its efforts to protect residents from the dangers of severe weather.
