February 27th, 2026
Spanish Language Version (PDF)
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello today welcomed Michael Fries, Meteorologist-in-Charge of the National Weather Service (NWS) Office in Buffalo, NY, as he presented the Monroe County Department of Public Safety with its renewed certification as a StormReady community at the Emergency Operations Center.
“Being a StormReady certified community shows that Monroe County is prepared for any disaster Mother Nature throws at us. From our new MonroeAlert system to our state-of- the-art Emergency Operations Center, this recertification is yet another indication that shows we have the staff, technology and disaster preparedness planning in place to keep our residents safe,” said County Executive Bello. “Thank you to our Emergency Operations Team, our Department of Public Safety and all of our first responding partners for their work to help us once again establish this certification.”
According to the National Weather Service, 98% of all Presidentially-declared disasters are weather related, leading to around 500 deaths per year and nearly $15 billion in damage. The StormReady program helps arm America's communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property--before, during and after the event.
To be officially StormReady, a community must:
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Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center
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Havemorethanonewaytoreceivesevereweatherwarningsandforecastsandtoalert the public
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Createasystemthatmonitorsweatherconditionslocally
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Promotetheimportanceofpublicreadinessthroughcommunityseminars
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Developaformalhazardousweatherplan,whichincludestrainingsevereweather spotters and holding emergency exercises.
“Monroe County's Emergency Management Office has been a steadfast partner of the National Weather Service for many years,” said Michael Fries, Meteorologist-inCharge of the National Weather Service Office in Buffalo. “I'm extremely pleased that Monroe County is a reliable partner through the StormReady program. By committing to this program, the National Weather Service and Monroe County will reliably collaborate to foster two-way communication for critical weather information—including severe weather warnings, forecasts, and observations—and ensure this relationship endures during times of hampered communication. Monroe County has further demonstrated a dedication to readiness by promoting community involvement in outreach and training, such as for the Skywarn spotter program. I couldn't be more pleased to be here to recognize the work Monroe County's Office of Emergency Management, and County Emergency Manager Tim Henry, does all year long by certifying Monroe County with the StormReady designation.”
Monroe County first received the StormReady Certification in 2021 and must pass an assessment every five years to keep the designation.
Since 2021, Monroe County has made major investments to modernize the IT and audio/visual technology inside the Emergency Operations Center, ensuring faster, more reliable systems when it matters most. These upgrades strengthen the Department of Public Safety’s ability to stay fully operational and connected during emergencies. The county also added satellite capability and multiple redundant cellular networks, so even if traditional phone lines or internet service fail, command staff can continue communicating, coordinating, and responding without interruption.
To better improve delivery of emergency messages to the community, the County launched MonroeAlert in 2025. The official emergency notification and 9-1-1 public alerting platform for Monroe County, MonroeAlert delivers instant alerts to residents via text message, email, phone call or mobile app about critical situations, including public safety and travel restrictions. It also offers multi-language messaging and ASL video messaging.
To date, 4,500 residents have signed up for Monroe Alert. To sign up, go to monroecounty.gov/monroealert.
