Contact: Daryl Covey FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(405) 366-6510, ext. 232 12/21/95
Barry Reichenbaugh
(301) 713-0622
A team of radar experts who run a troubleshooting hotline to keep the nation's Doppler Weather Radar network operating were recently honored for their outstanding success rate by Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown.
The second annual Customer Service Excellence Award for "putting customers first" went to the WSR-88D Hotline Team of the National Weather Service's (NWS) Operational Support Facility in Norman, Okla.
"The WSR-88D Hotline staff ranks among the best help-line services in both government and private industry," said Elbert W. Friday Jr., NWS director. "They provide a vital service in helping to keep the nation's network of weather radar 'sentinels' ready to warn people of severe weather situations."
These meteorologists and electronics technicians manage the weather radar hotline 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, offering help by phone to all of the more than 125 Doppler weather radars currently operating in the country. The 30-member staff addresses an average of more than 1,500 queries each month.
Since 1991 when the service began, the hotline staff have helped local offices around the country with radar-related problems during more than 150 severe weather events, enabling each site to get back in operation quickly and meet their critical warning responsibilities.
In the past four years, the WSR-88D experts have received more than 20,000 requests for help. Of these, they have resolved 99.8 percent of the problems -- and more than 75 percent have been solved in less than one hour.
The hotline staff regularly conducts focus groups with their customers to survey their needs and identify areas for improvement. An annual service quality survey of all field sites supported by the Hotline addresses the 10 most critical aspects of customer service. Feedback from those customers consistently gives the Hotline staff quality ratings around 95 percent.
Doppler radar is a primary tool used by weather forecasters to identify severe storm patterns and provide early warnings to communities in storm paths. The Doppler Weather Surveillance Radar network, begun in 1988, is a tri-agency effort of the Departments of Defense, Transportation and Commerce.
Past and present team members recognized by this award are:
Mark Albertelly, NWS, meteorologist Dan Berkowitz, NWS, meteorologist Tim Burke, NWS, meteorologist Cindy Chrisman, NWS, meteorologist Nickie Flambures, U.S. Navy, Chief Aerographer s Mate Dan Frashier, NWS, meteorologist Dave Gaede, NWS, meteorologist Teresa Havel, NWS, meteorologist Steve Hunter, NWS, meteorologist Brian Klein, NWS, meteorologist Ed Mahoney, NWS, meteorologist Vance Mansur, NWS, meteorologist Delbert Matney, NWS, meteorologist Tony Ray, U.S. Air Force, Captain Rudy Schaar, NWS, meteorological technician Robin Smith, U.S. Air Force, TSgt. Mark Benner, NWS, electronics technician Don Byrer, NWS, electronics technician Jeff Engel, NWS, electronics technician Chris Fotinos, NWS, electronics technician Dan Garcia, NWS, electronics technician Frank Hewins, NWS, electronics technician Lee Huber, NWS, electronics technician Al Jarvi, NWS, electronics technician David Jerkins, NWS, electronics technician Paul Krenek, NWS, electronics technician Matt Lynch, NWS, electronics technician Eddie Maynard, NWS, electronics technician Jeff Mott, U.S. Air Force, SSgt. Ron Pattison, NWS, electronics technician Chris Price, NWS, electronics technician Jimmy Roper, NWS, electronics technician Dennis Schuelka, NWS, electronics technician Mike Shattuck, U.S. Air Force, SSgt. Bill Taylor, NWS, electronics technician