IBHS Selected as NOAA Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador
Tampa, FL (PRWEB) March 04, 2014 -- At the start of Severe Weather Preparedness Week, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is proud to announce it has become a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador. The national program, sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), recognizes partners who are improving the nation’s readiness against severe weather events.
“IBHS’ core mission is to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters through our building science research and advocacy efforts,” said Brenda O’Connor, IBHS senior vice president, public affairs. “We are very pleased to work hand-in-hand with NOAA to help our nation become more resilient to natural hazards.”
“IBHS strongly supports the Weather-Ready Nation’s goal of unifying the efforts of government, non-profits such as IBHS, academia, and private industry in the area of disaster preparedness and research,” continued O’Connor. “IBHS researchers and staff have collaborated with NOAA staff on many projects, most recently working with the National Weather Service to test its dual-polarity radar upgrade project during our hail field study last year.”
“In addition, we regularly provide disaster preparedness and recovery guidance to home and business owners through our outreach programs,” said O’Connor. “We share NOAA’s belief that everybody can be a force of nature by knowing their risks and taking effective preparedness actions before severe weather events strike, so they can respond and recover as quickly as possible.”
“Severe weather is not going away. Our goal is to take the information we learn about building performance at the IBHS Research Center and translate it into actionable recommendations for consumers, insurers, the building and construction industries, and the government,” O’Connor said. “By working together to build stronger, safer communities, and the significant costs of disasters can be reduced, which ultimately benefits our entire society.”
IBHS encourages residents to participate in NOAA’s Severe Weather Preparedness Week, and learn how they can “Be a Force of Nature,” as this week’s theme suggests.
Visit IBHS’ website, http://www.disastersafety.org, to find numerous resources to help consumers:
• learn more about their risks based the region of the country in which they live;
• take steps to prepare themselves and their properties through a variety of personal and property protection and improvement projects, categorized by natural hazard; and
• recover quickly from a disaster, and then repair or rebuild stronger and safer.
###
About The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
IBHS is an independent, nonprofit, scientific research and communications organization supported by the property insurance industry. The organization works to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other risks on residential and commercial property by conducting building science research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparedness practices.
Stacy Williams, APR, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, http://www.disastersafety.org, +1 (813) 675-1045, [email protected]
Share this article