- Taylor County has a new WeatherSTEM camera to provide vital weather information this hurricane season and beyond.
- Emergency leaders are also working with Taylor County Schools to engage the younger generation in hurricane preparedness.
- Watch the video to hear from Emergency Management about the new camera and why students are excited.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
From Idalia in 2023 to Helene in 2024, Taylor County has certainly seen its share of weather problems. The County has added new technology to help provide vital weather information. How emergency leaders believe WeatherSTEM cameras will help this hurricane season.
Taylor County has learned the impacts of hurricanes the hard way—starting with Idalia, then Debbie, and Helene.
Now, Emergency management director, Danny Glover said there's been a big focus on how they can boot their plan of action for preparation and recovery for this hurricane season.
Those plans include this: a new WeatherSTEM camera in Shady Grove.
"We have an actual station that will tell us exactly what the weather was and how fast the winds was and give us actual live data," said Glover.
The Taylor County Commission recently approved the contract with WeatherSTEM.
"It even shows the roads, if there's trees down, how much debris we could have down in that area and also during the storm, we can track the track the winds," said Glover.
Now, Glover said the plan is to add more cameras and work with Taylor County Schools to meet one of their priorities: to engage the younger generation in hurricane preparation.
Why is it important that you integrate those younger generation into hurricane preparedness?
"You know, just to let them know what could be coming, you know, if it's really, you know, a three or higher, four or higher that, you know, to try to listen to our warnings, listen to our advice, you know, if they need to evacuate to really take it serious," said Glover.
Taylor County Middle School Principal Casey Roberts said three cameras have been purchased for the schools and the WeatherSTEM curriculum will be introduced into their science classes.
"I think our kids would flourish and to know what's going on and to be prepared and to help their families and stuff because it's been a rough few years with some of the stuff that we've been through here in Taylor County," said Roberts.
It's all in a bid to help arm students with the most up to-date-knowledge so they can help their families.
"It has not been very fun, just seeing the destruction of houses or neighbors, those days, cold showers in the dark without just anything, and that hum of the generator behind our house," said Roberts.
7th grader, Jonah Jackson, said this new curriculum is giving him peace of mind, especially with the next hurricane season just around the corner.
Glover said they hope to expand their partnership with Taylor County Schools to help better educate the next generation.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
