Harvey Success Story: Utilizing NWS Partnerships to
Maximize an Effective Public Response (146)
Andrew Patrick, National
Weather Service, Lake Charles, LA
Roger Erickson, National
Weather Service
Dick Gremillion, Calcasieu
Parish Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness
Abstract:
Weather information
acquisition and distribution during significant weather events can be very
daunting. Decision makers receive a vast amount of weather information, at
times from many sources, during these events. Moreover, many are tasked with
providing concise and actionable weather information that indicates timing and
threats. At the request of key partners and stakeholders, the National Weather
Service (NWS) has been evolving toward an Impact-based Decision Support Service
(IDSS) paradigm to address this need. Emergency managers and the media are
routinely relaying NWS forecast information to a wide array of customers.
However, during extreme weather events, partners may need NWS spokespersons to
assist in communicating threat information to the public. In order to convey
urgency, some emergency managers may wish that NWS partner briefings be
available for public access. Also, through amendments of the Stafford Act after
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, this information needs to be available for
special needs populations. While the NWS is working on addressing these issues,
NWS partners can provide necessary resources to meet these needs.
During Tropical Storm Harvey,
NWS Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish EOC, and KPLC TV collaborated to provide
comprehensive IDSS briefings that reached a wide audience across southeast
Texas and southwest Louisiana. These briefings were conducted via video
streaming and regular TV programming. Moreover, press conferences with NWS
spokespersons, elected officials and key first responders were conducted
afterward to provide enhanced preparedness information and answer questions.
This presentation will provide details on: How this was accomplished during
Harvey and how this can be expanded for future significant weather events?