Severe Weather Spotter Program

First, let's make sure you understand what we do. Our Emergency Management volunteer staff are all weather spotters, and are not weather chasers. The difference is that while a chaser may roam the region looking for storms to study, photograph, or just watch, a spotter remains close to home and is interested in providing warning of impending severe weather to his local community. Our weather spotters rarely leave the confines of Cleveland/McClain counties. Click to see a map of some of our more frequently utilized spotter locations.

In addition, our volunteer staff provides manpower and communications for other emergency events in and around the City of Moore. EM staff members have been activated to assist with damage assessment after a storm, traffic and crowd control for emergency events, crowd control during the July 4th festival at Buck Thomas Park, and manpower assistance during an evidence search of a large field. Our volunteers also assist in directing and controlling our annual disaster exercise.

EM volunteers are not paid, and are not reimbursed for fuel, equipment, etc. They are responsible for any damage their vehicles may receive from severe weather. Our volunteers are covered under the City's workman's compensation insurance.

City of Moore EM volunteers are picked from members of either the Oklahoma County or University of Oklahoma REACT Teams. Through this membership, the volunteers are allowed access to communications repeaters of the Teams, which are used for official Emergency Management message traffic. EM volunteers must have radios and licenses capable of accessing these repeaters. Many of the volunteers are also Amateur Radio Operators, and use their ham radio equipment as a backup means of contacting the Emergency Operations Center.

EM volunteers are required to attend a weather spotter training course each year. Other training is provided based on the needs of the organization and the requests of the volunteers.

If you're still interested in becoming a spotter, please contact the EM Volunteer Coordinator for a REACT Team application.

If you're interested in chasing, may we suggest the following internet resources.

If you're a licensed amateur radio operator, you might also want to check the Cleveland County SKYWARN page.