The combination of participating in community service while applying their education gives students a rare experience to explore meteorology in the field. Students also use this experience to pursue further educational goals. In addition to the College of DuPage, students at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb are also becoming active in the spotter network. Along with the activities listed above on the day of severe weather, the network is also involved in other activities concerning weather and the state of readiness of citizens in the network area of responsibility. During the winter months, the network has taken on responsibilities for issuing advisory statements for significant winter weather.
Efforts continue to educate and organize spotters.
Yearly, the DuPage County Office of Emergency Management and the College of DuPage co-sponsor an advanced spotter training workshop. The number in attendance has grown from 125 to well over 300 in the last three years. In addition to local speakers, a nationally recognized expert in severe thunderstorms has come in to be the keynote speaker. Similarly, the DuPage OEM also sponsors a tornado shelter workshop to help institutions identify potentially dangerous situations and offer solutions to finding safe tornado shelters. Further education is also being accomplished with 911 operators and emergency response personnel.