ETCOG Becomes Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador for National Weather Service
East Texas Public Safety • June 9, 2021
What is Weather-Ready Nation?
The Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) Ambassador™
is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Commerce and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) to strengthen partnerships with external organizations toward building community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather and water events.
As part of the WRN initiative, NOAA partners with emergency management officials, businesses, and the media to motivate individuals and communities to prepare for a potential weather disaster.
What do Weather-Ready Nation Ambassadors Do?
WRN Ambassadors will serve as change agents and leaders in their community. They will inspire others to be better informed and prepared, thus helping to minimize, mitigate, or avoid the impacts of natural disasters. WRN Ambassadors can encourage these changes in their community in several ways, including:
- Setting an example by becoming “weather-ready” yourself (e.g., making employee preparedness a priority and having a disaster plan).
- Promoting Weather-Ready Nation key messages in your outreach activities.
- Providing incentives to your constituents and stakeholders to become more resilient,
- Sharing success stories with NOAA.
What Does a Weather-Ready Nation Look Like?
A Weather-Ready Nation takes well-informed communities, businesses and individuals that are ready, responsive and resilient to extreme events. Key actions include:
- Know your risk by discovering the weather risks where you live and closely following National Weather Service forecasts and warnings.
- Act by creating a family emergency plan and kit and making sure you can receive emergency messages (e.g., NOAA Weather Radio, wireless emergency alerts).
- Be an example by using social media to share important hazard information.
Ultimately, a Weather-Ready Nation empowers everyone to make life-saving decisions that also prevent devastating economic losses. It is all of us working together to become a nation known for its resiliency in the face of deadly weather events. To learn more about the Weather-Ready Nation initiative or becoming a WRN Ambassador, visit the WRN website at www.noaa.gov/wrn
or e-mail NOAA’s Weather-Ready Nation team at wrn.feedback@noaa.gov.
For more resource and notifications, follow our social media pages.
ETCOG is hosting NIMS ICS 300 and ICS 400 training in August at our Kilgore office. These courses are now required under Texas House Bill 33. Please register as soon as possible. The class must have at least 26 participants, or it may be canceled. Please also forward this opportunity to anyone who may need or be interested in attending. Training Details Course: MGT904 / ICS-300 Dates: August 24–26, 2026 Start Time: August 24 at 8:00 a.m. CST Location: ETCOG 3800 Stone Road Kilgore, Texas 75662 Registration Link: https://my.teex.org/TeexPortal/Default.aspx?MO=mCourseCatalog&D=FP&C=MGT904&S=941 Course: MGT905 / ICS-400 Dates: August 26–27, 2026 Start Time: August 26 at 1:00 p.m. CST Location: ETCOG 3800 Stone Road Kilgore, Texas 75662 Registration Link: https://my.teex.org/TeexPortal/Default.aspx?MO=mCourseCatalog&D=FP&C=MGT905&S=732 Cost All online classes, including the ICS 300/400 classes hosted at ETCOG, are free. Prerequisites Please read this section carefully before registering. The following four prerequisite courses are required: ICS 100 ICS 200 ICS 700 ICS 800 FEMA online training link for prerequisites: Emergency Management Institute - National Incident Management System (NIMS) https://training.fema.gov/nims/ Please bring copies of your prerequisite certificates with you to class, if possible. A screenshot of your certificates is also acceptable. What to Bring Please bring the following items to training: Copies or screenshots of your ICS 100, ICS 200, ICS 700, and ICS 800 certificates A tablet or laptop The participant manual downloaded to your device The participant manual will be available after you complete registration. Registration Assistance If you have trouble registering, please send a screenshot of the issue so we can help troubleshoot. Thank you, and please register as soon as possible to help ensure the class meets the minimum attendance requirement.
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, observed April 12–18, 2026 , honors the dedication, service, and sacrifice of the public safety telecommunicators who answer the call when emergencies happen. Held each year during the second week of April, the observance recognizes the professionals who serve as the critical first point of contact in emergency situations. At ETCOG, we are proud to recognize the telecommunicators who serve communities across our region. Their work requires professionalism, compassion, quick thinking, and a steadfast commitment to public safety. In moments of crisis, they provide calm, skilled support and help connect people to the emergency services they need. In 2025 , telecommunicators in ETCOG’s service area answered more than 174,000 9-1-1 calls and more than 20,000 9-1-1 texts . Behind each of those numbers is a person in need of help and a trained telecommunicator ready to respond. ETCOG supports the region’s dispatch offices through training, equipment upgrades, and management of the regional 9-1-1 system. These efforts help ensure telecommunicators have the tools, technology, and resources needed to serve the public effectively and efficiently. During National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, we extend our sincere appreciation to the men and women who help keep our communities safe every day. Their work is essential, and their service makes a meaningful difference throughout East Texas.
