Muskegon County Emergency Communication Services, Inc.
M.C.E.C.S.
1611 E. Oak Avenue
Muskegon, Michigan
49442
Event Photos
Field Day Winter
2011
Skywarn 2011
SKYWARN
SKYWARN
is a special joint effort between the American Radio Relay
League's Amateur Radio Emergency Service and the
National Weather Service (NWS), as called for by the Memorandum of
Understanding between the ARRL and the NWS. It is the position of the
National Weather Service and the Muskegon County Emergency Communication
Services, that trained spotters shall attend a SKYWARN training class every
other year. Training may be taken with any county or municipality, although
annual training from MCECS is recommended in Muskegon County.
The purpose of the Muskegon County SKYWARN is to provide useful severe
weather-related information to the National Weather Service Office in Grand
Rapids, Michigan so that they may better carry out its duty to protect life,
property, and commerce in its County Warning Area (CWA).
Skywarn volunteers donate thousands of hours each year, and use there own
personal radio equipment and vehicles to give there communities advance
warning of life threatening weather conditions. Since the NWS instituted the
SKYWARN Program, there has been a significant decrease in death rate due to
tornadoes and other severe weather. Accurate and reliable information from
the general public is difficult to obtain. The NWS has found that only
regular trained weather spotters improves the quality of information. The
National Weather Service brings the weather knowledge, the Amateur Radio
Service brings its expertise in emergency communications, and together they
work with local government to assure safety to the citizens of Muskegon
County.
Contact Muskegon County’s Skywarn Coordinator Jeff Stapel, W8SWX at
this address.