Taking WFO Forecasters Onsite-A Winning Situation
(124)
Mark Burchfield, NOAA/National
Weather Service, Springfield, MO
Abstract:
There is a saying that
exercises are the last test of an individual's training. The National Weather
Service is in an era of enhancing decision support services for core partners.
During times of disasters, incidents, or even just planned events, meteorologists
may be called upon by our core partners to provide critical weather information
to them in person; either at an Emergency Operations Center or an Incident
Command Post.
With this in mind, the
National Weather Service Springfield office decided to take forecasters through
exercises at local County and City Emergency Operations Centers. Five main
objectives were developed, ranging from procedural items to briefings to more
logistical items. Staff were taken in groups of 2 or 3 through a basic
scenario, based on the local hazards of the area. Exercise evaluators were
onsite providing notes via exercise evaluation guides to document challenges
and successes. After each exercise, a brief hotwash and after action review
were conducted. These exercises has also allowed relationship building between
staff and local core partners, as well as learning and experiencing different
emergency operations centers.