“I sleep better at night knowing that Perry Weather is in our school district and on campus.”
In 1999, West Orange High School witnessed a tragedy that left a lasting scar: a visiting student athlete was struck by lightning during a post-game vigil and never recovered.
It happened just before Stephan Zichella took over as the school’s Athletic Director. Even years later, the weight of that incident is something the school still carries.
“Before I got here, we had a vigil struck by lightning, a visiting school, their center fielder—he never recovered,” says Stephan.
A Legacy of Uncertainty
For years, West Orange High School relied on a lightning detection system they didn’t trust. It was supposed to safeguard students and staff. Instead, it became a point of frustration.
“We had a lightning detection system that we had very little confidence in,” says Stephan. “Over the last few years, we actually called to get it fixed, to get it adjusted, and it just wasn’t working.”
Despite the system’s visible flaws, it remained in place. But without reliable data, athletic staff were left making weather decisions based on gut instinct and manual checks—until Perry Weather.
Real Peace of Mind
“In the short time that we’ve had it, we are so relieved and confident that we can provide that safety to our spectators, families, community, and really our student athletes,” Stephan says.
The change wasn’t just technological—it was emotional. “I sleep better at night knowing that Perry Weather is in our school district and on campus.”
That kind of relief doesn’t come easy. It’s built on trust—trust in the system, the alerts, and the process. It’s knowing you’ve done everything you can to keep your community safe.
Lightning Isn’t the Only Threat
August and September are peak times for weather-related risk at West Orange High. Lightning strikes are frequent. But so is heat stress—especially during preseason training. Athletic trainer Ashley Sivo, who’s been at the school for ten years, knows this struggle firsthand.
“Summertime, August, September, is when we really encounter the most issues relating to the weather,” she says. “Heat, that’s a big one, especially during August, when we’re in preseason.”
Before Perry Weather, getting wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) readings meant manually checking temperatures—often pulling trainers away from the very athletes they were there to protect.
“In the summertime, when they have summer training, we had to delegate someone to do the wet bulb globe temperature. Me and Ash aren’t always there. So we have to delegate some, and it’s a little tough,” Stephan explains.
Time Back Where It Matters Most
“With Perry Weather it definitely simplifies our temperature reading process,” Ashley says.
“Now we’re getting readings all day long. So regardless of if your practice is at 11:00 AM in the morning or 5:00 PM at night, you’re still getting a reading for your time that’s accurate, and you can also reference it on a platform that is not just the manual device.”
That means no more running around. No more second-guessing. And no more wasted minutes.
“When I have to step away or when one of the athletic trainers has to step away to go do readings, it’s taking away from the care that our kids can have,” Ashley says. “And not only is it benefiting me because it’s making my communication with coaches a lot more streamlined, it’s eliminating any controversy over the situations in terms of the weather.”
“I’m able to actually give that time back into my student athletes. And as an athletic trainer, that’s where I want to be spending my time. I love working with my kids.”
Clarity Everyone Can Act On
West Orange High doesn’t just rely on one person to call the shots anymore. With Perry Weather, coaches, athletic staff, and school leadership are all working from the same data, on the same platform.
“All of the coaches can actually see that information, and so they can plan in advance to make those changes,” says Ashley. “And then it’s not me just dispelling the plan for changes. It’s like OK, we have a hard set information here that we’re going to abide by.”
“It’s a peace of mind knowing that we have this app now that coaches have access to—whether it’s immediate, minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day—they have access to this important data.”
The result? Faster decisions. Fewer questions. And more time spent doing what matters: supporting athletes.
Automated Alerts That Actually Work
“What’s priceless about Perry Weather is, we have automated warnings that would be beneficial to the students, and also to the community that’s using our field,” Stephan says. “That says to evacuate, there’s lightning in the area and to evacuate the fields.”
It’s not just about the alert—it’s about knowing that the system will trigger without human intervention. No guessing. No delays. Just action.
Innovation Rooted in Purpose
“Everything is so easy with Perry Weather. The innovation, the leadership,” Stephan says. “I’m so impressed with how innovative Perry Weather is and how they want to be at the forefront of safety and providing and having the most robust services for their communities. And that matters to me.”
This isn’t just another vendor relationship. It’s a partnership rooted in purpose—and shared responsibility.
A Safer Way Forward for West Orange
West Orange High School doesn’t take weather safety lightly—and with good reason. They’ve lived through what can happen when lightning strikes, and they’ve endured years of unreliable tools that made safety decisions harder, not easier.
Now, with Perry Weather, they’re operating from a place of confidence. No more broken systems. No more finger-crossing. Just real-time alerts, shared visibility, and tools that back up every decision with data.
“Our biggest threat is serious injury sustained from a weather event,” Stephan said. Today, that threat feels a little less daunting.
Because when storms roll in or heat levels spike, West Orange doesn’t scramble. They act. And they do it together. Try Perry Weather for free and see what safer, smarter weather decision-making looks like.
