Warning America

Partnership for Public Warning2nd National Emergency Summit onPublic Warning in America

Mr. Scott RayderChief of StaffNational Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration June 28, 2004

Agenda

NOAA’s Mission

NOAA’s Partnerships

NOAA’s National Weather Service Warning Program

ä Where we are todayä Where we are going

Summary & Conclusion

NOAA’s Mission

NOAA’s Mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet the Nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs

NOAA’s Mission Goals

Four overarching goals for achieving NOAA’s mission…

ä Protect, restore, and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through ecosystem management approaches

ä Understand climate variability and change to enhance society’s ability to plan and respond

ä Serve society’s needs for weather and water information

ä Support the Nation’s commerce with information for safe and efficient transportation

NOAA’s Partnerships

Who are NOAA’s Partners?ä Federal Agencies FEMA/DHS USDAä State, Local and Tribal Government Agencies

(Emergency Managers) ä Broadcast Media (Broadcast Meteorologists)ä Private Sectorä Academiaä Public (Spotters, Cooperative Observers)

Cooperative Observer

Why is NOAA Here Today?

NOAA wants to:ä Be part of the team that helps identify ways

that government and industry can work together to improve America's warning capability.

ä Enhance communication and collaboration among the warning community.

ä Discuss the important issues on the agenda.

What are All-Hazards?

All hazards emergency messages include:ä Natural hazards, e.g.,

E TornadoesE HurricanesE FloodsE Earthquakes

ä AccidentsE Chemical releasesE Oil spillsE Nuclear power plant emergencies

ä Terrorismä Amber Alertsä Other Hazards

NOAA Delivers All-Hazards Messages

Criteria for NOAA to disseminate non-weather related Civil Emergency Messages

ä Public safety is involvedä Message originates from an official

government sourceä Information is time critical

Broadcast of all hazards emergency messages requires

ä Message collectionä Authenticationä Dissemination

How Civil Emergency Messages Reach the Public Today

Civil Emergency Message:Local, State, Federal

NOAA Weather Radio

Weather Forecast Office

Public

Local Radio/TV(Emergency Alert System)

Voluntary broadcast

NWS Dissemination Systems:Weather Wire, EMWIN, Internet,

Family of Services, Commercial Vendors

LEGENDMessage deliveredMessage delivered if appropriate receiver existsMessage delivered according to state plansMessage delivered according to state plans: Sparse infrastructure

NWS Dissemination of WarningsHow do NOAA and all hazards warnings reach people?

ä Family of Servicesä NOAAPORTä NOAA Weather Wire Serviceä Emergency Manager’s Weather Information

Networkä NOAA Weather Radioä Internetä Media

NOAAPORT

NOAA Weather Radio (NWR)

NWR is the voice of NOAA’s National Weather Service

NWR operates 24 X 7

NWR is our main entry into the Emergency Alert System (EAS)

NWR Covers 97% of the nation

900 NWR Transmitters

The Role of NWR for Civil Emergency Messages CEM via NWR provides people an effective and timely first alert function

We requested $5.5 million in FY04 funding to improve and streamline NOAA Weather Radio

Benefits:ä Improvements in the civil emergency

message process by providing emergency managers and first responders access into our dissemination systems

ä Reduction in message time delays from 7 minutes to 2 minutes

MOA signed between DHS & NOAA- June 17, 2004

The Role of NWR for Civil Emergency Messages (cont)

Senate appropriation language:ä Supportive of DHS intent to use NWR as

foundation of Homeland Security Advisory System

ä Wants to increase NWR exposureä Provides $10 million for NWR in schools

throughout the Nation on a priority basis

The Integrated Warning ProcessDetection and Warning:

ä Detect threat and warn for it

Communication:ä Communicate and deliver the message

Response:ä Ensure the message prompts the appropriate

response

May 21-25, 2004 = Approx. 141 tornado reports, 124 flash floods: 6 fatalities

May 12-18, 1995 = 173 tornado reports, 307 fatalities

Examples of an Integrated Warning System in Action:

Van Wert, OhioA “STORMREADY” Community

ä Preparedness in Placeä Threat Detectedä Warning Issuedä Warning Understoodä Action Taken

Bottom Line: Lives saved

The integrated warning system is a direct result of a STORMREADY community

Photo credit: Todd Campbell

What’s our Vision?

Every person in the U.S. gets climate, water and weather information:

ä They wantä Where ever they areä Whenever they want it, and

Everyone at risk receives timely All-Hazards warning information

NOAA is more than weather – we also predict and warn for:

ä Tsunamis, harmful algal blooms, solar flares, and other hazards

ä Future = Air Quality and Ozone forecasts and warnings

Summary

PPW is performing their mission

NOAA’s mission intersects

Consensus for a future warning system is essential to its success

NOAA depends on partnerships for the existing weather/water warning system to work

We will continue to collaborate with partners to develop a more efficient and effective national warning system that ensures all warnings are as widely accessible as possible