Insurance professionals, policymakers, and weather experts willbe among those attending the second annual National Tornado Summit,which takes place from March 10 to 12 in Oklahoma City,Okla. 

The primary goal of the summit is educating the public onvirtually every aspect of tornado safety, awareness, response, andrecovery. This second iteration will feature the National SevereWeather Workshop (NSWW). The breakout sessions, organized by theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will focuson crisis communication, emergency response analysis, significantweather events of 2012, tornado ratings, and how social mediaimpacts the effectiveness of severe weather watches andwarnings.

“Teaming up with the Tornado Summit seems like a natural fit forthe National Severe Weather Workshop,” says Greg Carbin, warningcoordination meteorologist for the NOAA SPC and NSWWchair. 

This year's event will also include a three-day tradeshow and atour of the National Weather Center and the NOAA Storm PredictionCenter (SPC), which issues all tornado watches for the contiguousUnited States. 

See related article: U.S. Tornadoes As Deadly, Costly AsHurricanes

According to Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak, thesummit offers the public an “inside look at storm prediction andresponse and how it affects them.” 

On March 10, the public will be able to roam the family friendlyWeather Fair, where attendees can step in a tornado simulator,speak with a TV meteorologist or hear professional storm chasersrelive the close calls encountered on the job. Canine search andrescue teams, as well as disaster response vehicles will also beon-hand to facilitate interactive learning.

The Oklahoma Insurance Department, Oklahoma EmergencyManagement, National Weather Center, NOAA, SPC and NationalAssociation of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) are sponsoring thisyear's event, which is intended to provide a forum for national andstate experts to exchange ideas and recommend new policies. Indeedthe beginning of storm season is an opportune time to explore howto improve disaster mitigation and response in order to save livesand property.

For more information about the event or to register online,visit www.tornadosummit.org.