September 27, 2023
HOUSTON – Kuraray America, Inc. (KAI) today announced its certification in the National Weather Service’s StormReady® program, a program that helps arm America’s communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property before, during and after a severe weather event. KAI is the first petrochemical company to receive this designation, not only in the Houston/Galveston area, but nationally.
Severe weather events cause approximately 500 U.S. deaths per year. The StormReady® program takes a grassroots approach to saving American lives by assisting community leaders and emergency managers as they develop and enhance their local safety plans for all types of extreme weather, including tornadoes and winter storms. The program provides clear guidelines to counties, universities, military bases, government sites, Native American reservations, and commercial enterprises to better prepare for severe weather events through advanced planning, education, and awareness. KAI is receiving this certification just in time for National Preparedness Month in September.
“Safety is the cornerstone of everything we do at Kuraray America, and we’re proud to be the first chemical company to join the StormReady® program,” said Jeff Suggs, Corporate Emergency Services and Security Manager at KAI. “With our large footprint on the Gulf Coast as we navigate hurricane season, we encourage the greater Houston and Galveston community to take action to ensure preparedness before disaster strikes. We also challenge our industry neighbors to join us in StormReady preparedness. It can make all the difference for employees and our communities.”
To be officially “StormReady”, a community or entity must:
▪ Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center
▪ Have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public
▪ Create a system that monitors weather conditions locally
▪ Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars
▪ Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.
“Kuraray has well thought-out plans for what actions to take for various weather hazards, scenarios, including lightning, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and cold weather,” said Daniel Reilly, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the Weather Forecast Office of Houston/Galveston. “The company has demonstrated numerous ways to receive warnings, alerts and other weather information from the National Weather Service and a private weather company, and to share that information with workers at [their plants].”
Learn how your community, institute or company can become StormReady here. To learn more about Kuraray America, Inc., visit www.kuraray.us.com.
About Kuraray
Founded in 1926, Kuraray is a world leader in performance-based polymer and specialty materials technologies, including resins, chemicals, fibers, and textiles. The Company operates many subsidiaries around the world, including Kuraray America, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas. The Kuraray Group is committed to developing new fields of business using pioneering technology that improves the environment and enhances the quality of life throughout the world.
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Griffin Communications Group
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