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        Saskatchewan residents who experience more than their fair share of severe weather over the year have been offered a unique counselling service - a comprehensive six-page Severe Storm Guide in their telephone directories.
        The project which was in the planning stage for almost a year was a joint effort of AES, Emergency Planning Canada and the SaskTel provincial telephone company.
        More than most telephone utilities, SaskTel has offered space in its phone book to organizations providing essential services such as police, firefighters or hospitals. The pages were offered as a free public service to their subscribers.
        About two years ago, SaskTel approached Fraser Hunter, OIC, Regina Weather Office and told him they would like to donate a whole section to weather advice. When Hunter realized that SaskTel wanted to put a strong emphasis on emergency procedures as well as weather, he quickly summoned Emergency Planning Canada. Finally, Don Bauer, OIC Saskatoon Weather Office and DOE Information Officer for Saskatchewan, Sharon Dominik, joined the team.
        The end-result of this varied expertise was an attractive, information packed weather manual starting on page 21 of the phone book and chock full of advice on how to fill your emergency pack, or prepare your underground shelter, what to do if you get caught in a severe summer storm or how to understand the various severe weather warnings and watches.
        Hunter says he is pleased that the guide includes both summer and winter information since Saskatchewan is a province that faces year-round weather challenges. He believes the new section has actually raised the profile of the weather service because, besides giving practical advice on how to act if you get stranded in your car during a blizzard, it also includes a large map pinpointing all of Saskatchewan's 22 weather regions. In addition, there is a full page, complete with graphs, explaining how to calculate the wind chill factor.
        Fraser Hunter is also pleased that the project cost AES nothing and that the weather service had a major say on the use of graphics which, besides maps and charts, includes clear illustrations on such topics as lightning, torrential rain, tornadoes and major windstorms.
        Mike Balshaw, AES Director, Central Region, says the SaskTel phone book guide is a unique opportunity to get severe storm information across to a wide public audience. He adds that the possibility of participating in a similar project in Manitoba is being investigated.