(June 1, 2012) - National Weather Service Southern Region Director Bill Proenza provided a keynote address at the Region 4 International Association of Emergency Managers conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in April. Proenza discussed impact-based decision support services and the National Weather Service's WeatherReady Nation initiative.

"The WeatherReady Nation initiative represents the next step in a concept that has long been a primary tenant of the National Weather Service," he said. "The primary goal is to provide the critical support for our emergency managers and decision-makers when the lives and economic well-being of our citizens are threatened."

"The campaign was launched with series of pilot projects intended to expand our current list of services and to explore new collaborations and services tailored to help meet the needs of our partners in the emergency management community, the media, the private sector and the general public."

With more than 5,000 members worldwide, the International Association of Emergency Managers is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting the principles of emergency management and representing those professionals whose goals are saving lives and protecting property and the environment during emergencies and disasters.

Its mission is to advance the profession by promoting the principles of emergency management; to serve our members by providing information, networking and professional development opportunities; and to advance the emergency management profession.

Proenza will also be a featured speaker at the IAEM-USA mid-year meeting at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland, June 8-9. Attendees will include emergency management professionals, Congressional staffers and federal officials with a role in homeland security and emergency management.

The mid-year meeting is being held in conjunction with the FEMA's Higher Education Emergency Management Conference, scheduled for June 6-9.

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