Role of the Emergency ManagerRole of the Emergency Manager& Agency for Severe Weather& Agency for Severe Weather

Dan StahlDan StahlAdministratorAdministrator

Seneca County Department of Public SafetySeneca County Department of Public Safety

Hazardous Weather CourseHazardous Weather Course

May 17-19, 2005May 17-19, 2005

NOAA’s National Weather ServiceNOAA’s National Weather Service

NOAA’s National Weather Service

The Day BeginsThe Day Begins

Monitor the WeatherMonitor the Weather• Serious, High-Priority EMA job – every daySerious, High-Priority EMA job – every day– Any Weather for Any EmergencyAny Weather for Any Emergency

– Severe Weather possibilitiesSevere Weather possibilities

– Multiple reviews of available dataMultiple reviews of available data

– Begins before weatherBegins before weather• Spotter activation criteriaSpotter activation criteria

• Contact with NWS officeContact with NWS office

• Emergency Operations Plan - in placeEmergency Operations Plan - in place

• Checklists – don’t miss procedures, assignmentsChecklists – don’t miss procedures, assignments

• Relationships with other agencies and providersRelationships with other agencies and providers

• Local and Regional weather meetingsLocal and Regional weather meetings

The Day BeginsThe Day Begins

Monitor the WeatherMonitor the Weather• NWS Severe Weather OutlookNWS Severe Weather Outlook– Received dailyReceived daily

– 1-day outlook1-day outlook

– 2-7 day outlook2-7 day outlook

– Zone Forecast Zone Forecast

– Local weather forecast through mediaLocal weather forecast through media

– Other “heads up” on the weatherOther “heads up” on the weather

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather is PossibleSevere Weather is Possible• Your favorite weather sourceYour favorite weather source

• Check Storm Prediction Center (Check Storm Prediction Center (SPCSPC) Forecast) Forecast

• Check local media for their interpretationCheck local media for their interpretation

• Check Check NWS Doppler RadarNWS Doppler Radar– NWS ClevelandNWS Cleveland

– NWS North WebsterNWS North Webster

– NWS WilmingtonNWS Wilmington

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather is Possible (continued)Severe Weather is Possible (continued)• Monitor local Amateur Radio repeatersMonitor local Amateur Radio repeaters

• Monitor local Skywarn NetMonitor local Skywarn Net

• Monitor regional Skywarn Control NetMonitor regional Skywarn Control Net

• Monitor MARCS system for other counties’ weatherMonitor MARCS system for other counties’ weather– West of our areaWest of our area

– South of our areaSouth of our area

– Odd weather situations (unusual frontal activity)Odd weather situations (unusual frontal activity)

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Thunder EagleThunder Eagle

• Federal receiversFederal receivers

• Alpha PagersAlpha Pagers

• Cell phonesCell phones

• InternetInternet

• EAS receiverEAS receiver

• NOAA Weather ReceiverNOAA Weather Receiver

• Weather StationWeather Station

• Meteorlogix – Storm SentryMeteorlogix – Storm Sentry

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• EMWINEMWIN

• RASTRACKRASTRACK messaging messaging

• Alpha-paging encodersAlpha-paging encoders

• Email / Email messagingEmail / Email messaging

• Ohio EMA Weather AlertsOhio EMA Weather Alerts

• Storm NowStorm Now Alerts Alerts

• Public safety two-way UHF communicationsPublic safety two-way UHF communications

• Amateur RadioAmateur Radio

• TelevisionTelevision

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• AM/FM radioAM/FM radio

• ScannersScanners

• FAXFAX

• PhonePhone

• MARCS radio systemMARCS radio system

• Reverse 9-1-1Reverse 9-1-1

• NW Ohio Skywarn group emailNW Ohio Skywarn group email

• NWS’ eSpotterNWS’ eSpotter

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Monitoring / Warning GoalMonitoring / Warning Goal• Provide a “heads up” for our communitiesProvide a “heads up” for our communities

• Messaging to public safety agenciesMessaging to public safety agencies

• If practical, FAX toIf practical, FAX to– FireFire

– EMSEMS

– Law enforcementLaw enforcement

– SchoolsSchools

– HospitalsHospitals

– Government agenciesGovernment agencies

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Thunder EagleThunder Eagle– Receives NWSReceives NWS

weather messagesweather messages– Use SAME codes toUse SAME codes to

separate “our” messagesseparate “our” messages– We broadcast anyWe broadcast any

Tornado Warning orTornado Warning orSevere ThunderstormSevere ThunderstormWarning for our countyWarning for our countyover a VHF radio frequencyover a VHF radio frequency

– We can send customWe can send customcounty messagescounty messages

– Activate Federal ReceiversActivate Federal Receivers

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Federal receiversFederal receivers– ““Black Box” receiverBlack Box” receiver

activated by encodedactivated by encodedbroadcast from thebroadcast from theThunder Eagle systemThunder Eagle system

– We place these inWe place these inschools, hospitals,schools, hospitals,businesses, publicbusinesses, publicbuildings, etc.buildings, etc.

– We allow Warning-We allow Warning-level weather messageslevel weather messages

– Also receives our customAlso receives our customcounty messagescounty messages

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Alpha PagersAlpha Pagers– Alpha-numeric pagersAlpha-numeric pagers

– Short text messagesShort text messagesvia emailvia email

– Weather status & warningsWeather status & warningsfrom subscription servicefrom subscription service

– Weather status & warningsWeather status & warningsfrom our weather familyfrom our weather family

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Cell phonesCell phones– Some of the same messagesSome of the same messages

used by alpha-numeric pagersused by alpha-numeric pagers

– Voice communications by liveVoice communications by livecalling or by recorded messagecalling or by recorded message

– Some phones allow email & webSome phones allow email & web

– Some phones now have short-Some phones now have short-range radios used with otherrange radios used with othersimilar cell system componentssimilar cell system components

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• InternetInternet– Some of the same emailSome of the same email

notifications used by pagersnotifications used by pagers

– Weather websites showingWeather websites showingradar, reports, discussionradar, reports, discussion

– Emergency websites showingEmergency websites showingrelief efforts, logisticsrelief efforts, logistics

– Shared data systems toShared data systems toconnect agenciesconnect agencies

– Instant Messaging – IM’sInstant Messaging – IM’ssuch as Yahoo Messenger,such as Yahoo Messenger,AOL AIM, ICQAOL AIM, ICQ

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Emergency Activation System (EAS) receiverEmergency Activation System (EAS) receiver– Encode/Decode ofEncode/Decode of

NWS Weather AlertsNWS Weather Alerts

– Logging of events on aLogging of events on adedicated printerdedicated printer

– Local radio stationsLocal radio stations

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• NOAA Weather ReceiverNOAA Weather Receiver– SAME weather receiversSAME weather receivers

available from places likeavailable from places likeRadio Shack, Uniden andRadio Shack, Uniden andothersothers

– At EOC we have a radioAt EOC we have a radiodedicated to each NOAAdedicated to each NOAAweather station in our area –weather station in our area –Carey & CastaliaCarey & Castalia

– Some radios have the capabilitySome radios have the capabilityto send email to pagers andto send email to pagers andemail accountsemail accounts

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Weather StationWeather Station– Local conditionsLocal conditions

– Available on InternetAvailable on Internet

– Archive of weather readingsArchive of weather readingsto computer storage driveto computer storage drivewww.senecapublicsafety.orgwww.senecapublicsafety.org

– Many types to choose fromMany types to choose from

– Ours is a Peet Bros.Ours is a Peet Bros.

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Meteorlogix – Storm SentryMeteorlogix – Storm Sentry– Near real-time dataNear real-time data

– Satellite feedSatellite feed

– New version is web-basedNew version is web-based

– Weather radar, text productsWeather radar, text products

– Enhanced data analysisEnhanced data analysis

– Looping of data picturesLooping of data picturesfor reviewfor review

– Automated tasks such asAutomated tasks such asprinting of county-specificprinting of county-specificwatches and warningswatches and warnings

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• EMWINEMWIN– Satellite receptionSatellite reception

– Send it out overSend it out overAmateur Radio Packet BBSAmateur Radio Packet BBS

– We had a computer-generatedWe had a computer-generatedvoice read the report onvoice read the report onAmateur RadioAmateur Radio

– Can be logged to a printerCan be logged to a printer

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• RASTRACKRASTRACK messaging messaging– Allows text messages toAllows text messages to

be sent to our Public Safetybe sent to our Public SafetyUHF radio systemUHF radio system

– Messages can be pre-setMessages can be pre-setor can be customor can be custom

– Saves air-time, personalSaves air-time, personaltime and is privatetime and is private

– Messages can be sent toMessages can be sent toindividuals or groupsindividuals or groups

– Messages are identifiedMessages are identifiedby the assigned radioby the assigned radiosystem ID’ssystem ID’s

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Alpha-paging encodersAlpha-paging encoders– A previous method weA previous method we

used Alphamatesused Alphamates

– Can still use as a backupCan still use as a backup

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Email / Email messagingEmail / Email messaging– Regular email to personnelRegular email to personnel

– Email sent to pagers andEmail sent to pagers andcell phonescell phones

– Email from discussionEmail from discussionwebsites such as Yahoo!websites such as Yahoo!

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Ohio EMA Weather AlertsOhio EMA Weather Alerts– This is a coordinatedThis is a coordinated

system between thesystem between theOhio EMA and NWSOhio EMA and NWS

– OEMA receives NWSOEMA receives NWStext product and sends it outtext product and sends it outto a subscription list of pagers,to a subscription list of pagers,cell phones and emailcell phones and email

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• StormNowStormNow Alerts Alerts– Customize for your needsCustomize for your needs

– Low cost subscriptionLow cost subscription

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Public safety two-wayPublic safety two-way

UHF communicationsUHF communications– Any channel is availableAny channel is available

for public safety and isfor public safety and isredundant several timesredundant several times

– We dedicate a commonWe dedicate a commonchannel to severe weatherchannel to severe weatherinformation andinformation andcommunications when watchescommunications when watchesand warnings are issuedand warnings are issued

– All fire, EMS, law enforcementAll fire, EMS, law enforcementand public safety can participateand public safety can participate

– Fire and law spottersFire and law spotters

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Amateur RadioAmateur Radio– This is a large resourceThis is a large resource

– This volunteer group isThis volunteer group ismany times cross-trainedmany times cross-trainedfor service, especiallyfor service, especiallyemergency communicationsemergency communications

– They bring their own equipmentThey bring their own equipment

– They can operate other equipmentThey can operate other equipment

– They can supplement EOCThey can supplement EOC

– They may be independent,They may be independent,Skywarn, Red Cross, Salvation Army,Skywarn, Red Cross, Salvation Army,Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), MARSAmateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), MARS

– They run networks, are spotters, operate from home or onsiteThey run networks, are spotters, operate from home or onsite

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• TelevisionTelevision– Local stationsLocal stations

– Weather ChannelWeather Channel

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• AM/FM radioAM/FM radio– Relationship with yourRelationship with your

local stationslocal stations

– Public service announcementsPublic service announcements

– Find ways to keep themFind ways to keep themon the air during emergencieson the air during emergencies

– Emergency powerEmergency power

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• ScannersScanners– Available to the general publicAvailable to the general public

– Published Public SafetyPublished Public Safetyfrequenciesfrequencies

– Monitor public services asMonitor public services asthey respondthey respond

– Monitor Amateur Radio networksMonitor Amateur Radio networks

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• FAXFAX– Announce weather that isAnnounce weather that is

coming sooncoming soon

– Especially slow-arrival,Especially slow-arrival,long-range weatherlong-range weathersuch as snowsuch as snow

– Can be sent to a largeCan be sent to a largegroup by broadcastgroup by broadcast

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• PhonePhone– Easy to useEasy to use

– Common to high percentage of peopleCommon to high percentage of people

– Easy to train usersEasy to train users

– Both wired and wirelessBoth wired and wireless

– Many enhancement tools availableMany enhancement tools available

– Develop calling trees for notificationDevelop calling trees for notification

– Need to learn new ways to useNeed to learn new ways to useor improve this universal resourceor improve this universal resource

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• MARCS Radio SystemMARCS Radio System– Another radio path to NWSAnother radio path to NWS

– Another radio path to other countiesAnother radio path to other counties

– DigitalDigital

– Some SIMPLEX Analog channelsSome SIMPLEX Analog channels

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• Reverse 9-1-1Reverse 9-1-1– Use telephone infrastructure to callUse telephone infrastructure to call

specific “groups” with any type of messagespecific “groups” with any type of message

– ““Groups” can be of any delineationGroups” can be of any delineationincluding geographic, service, work-including geographic, service, work-group and moregroup and more

– Message is automated for deliveryMessage is automated for deliveryby a dedicated networkby a dedicated network

– Includes many other abilities such asIncludes many other abilities such asverifying receipt of message, replyingverifying receipt of message, replyingto the message, surveysto the message, surveys

– Extremely versatileExtremely versatile

– May incur additional costsMay incur additional costs

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• NW Ohio Skywarn group email (others)NW Ohio Skywarn group email (others)– Your local Skywarn groupYour local Skywarn group

may have an onlinemay have an onlinediscussion groupdiscussion group

– Each group’s rules may differEach group’s rules may differ

– Usually includes ability toUsually includes ability tosend notices, email, andsend notices, email, andInstant Messaging (IM)Instant Messaging (IM)

– If you use some of these onlineIf you use some of these onlinegroups for other things, then yougroups for other things, then youcan easily send a request to joincan easily send a request to join

– You may need to first subscribeYou may need to first subscribeto a group serviceto a group service

Good or Severe WeatherGood or Severe Weather

Severe Weather Monitoring / Warning ResourcesSevere Weather Monitoring / Warning Resources• NWS’ eSpotterNWS’ eSpotter– From the National Weather ServiceFrom the National Weather Service

– Online weather reporting systemOnline weather reporting system

– New versionNew version

– Each NWS office decides to use itEach NWS office decides to use it

– Several offices now onlineSeveral offices now online

– Users authorized by each officeUsers authorized by each office

– EMA directors can be given additionalEMA directors can be given additionalprivileges and review of reportsprivileges and review of reports

Are you ready?Are you ready?

Get your resources lined upGet your resources lined up• Don’t wait until the last minuteDon’t wait until the last minute

• Plan for redundancyPlan for redundancy

• Propagate working relationships with respondersPropagate working relationships with responders

• Talk to your NWS office regularlyTalk to your NWS office regularly

Thank you!Thank you!

Next up – Severe Weather PlansNext up – Severe Weather Plans• How our county operates during severe weatherHow our county operates during severe weather

• Getting your severe weather resources in orderGetting your severe weather resources in order

• Recruiting VolunteersRecruiting Volunteers

• Interfacing with Skywarn and NWSInterfacing with Skywarn and NWS

Thanks for your attention!Thanks for your attention!