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Nextdoor and NOAA Partner to Better Prepare Americans for Severe Weather

The neighborhood-based social network has partnered with the federal weather agency to bring more up-to-date critical information to American neighborhoods.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has recognized the neighborhood social networking app Nextdoor as a member of its Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador program — a program that focuses on delivering timely, accurate and hyperlocal weather information to communities around severe weather events. 

“Ambassadors are critical to building a Weather-Ready Nation," said Louis Uccellini, Ph.D., director of NOAA's National Weather Service, in a press release. "We welcome Nextdoor as a new ambassador who is committed to empowering its members with lifesaving information about extreme weather events."

With roughly 146,000 neighborhoods currently using the platform, according to Nextdoor statistics, the network of neighborhoods is ideally positioned to funnel critical information to the 75 percent of the country it covers.

“Our local communities are often our first line of defense against any kind of disaster,” said Nirav Tolia, co-founder and CEO of Nextdoor, in the release. “We’re honored to partner with NOAA and share their mission of building communities and, ultimately, a nation that is ready, responsive and resilient to the impacts of extreme weather events.”

As Jenny Mayfield wrote in the Nextdoor blog, inclement weather can wreak havoc on cities, towns and communities. "And neighbors are often the first people we turn to for help in the wake of any kind of disaster. Neighbors across the country have used Nextdoor to ask for help and get assistance from their community in the wake of floods, fires and even hurricanes."

Eyragon Eidam is the web editor for Government Technology magazine, after previously serving as assistant news editor and covering such topics as legislation, social media and public safety. He can be reached at eeidam@erepublic.com.