Straight Talk:
Sustaining Current Services is #1 Priority

Sustaining our current services is our number one priority today and will continue to be our top priority for years to come. For us to maintain our current services with existing infrastructure, we need to fully fund our labor shortfall. We need to balance this need with adequate operations and maintenance funding for investments we have made. To avoid obsolescence, we must build new science and technology into our operations, and meet emerging customer needs. Flexibility to develop and demonstrate betters ways of operating is almost non-existent today. When the Corporate Board meets this week, future operations concepts will be the main agenda item - where are we going and how do we propose to get there.

Recently, we submitted our FY 08 - FY 12 priorities to NOAA to build into the Programming, Planning, Budgeting and Execution System (PPBES). PPBES requires us to identify future needs and get them into the pipeline years in advance. Line offices, such as the NWS, are the executors in this system. I will keep you posted on our progress through this newsletter and other communication vehicles.

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Indian Harbour Beach, FL, is Nation's First East Coast TsunamiReady Community

On July 7, NOAA's NWS recognized Indian Harbour Beach, FL, as the Nation's first East Coast TsunamiReady community.

Brig. Gen. D.L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), NWS Director, and other officials from the NWS and the Florida Division of Emergency Management joined U.S. Representative Dave Weldon in a recognition ceremony at the city's beachfront Millennium Park.

At the ceremony, the Mayor and City Manager were presented TsunamiReady signs and a letter of recognition. The recognition is in effect for three years. At that time, the community will go through a recertification process. Indian Harbour Beach will become the 20th TsunamiReady community in the Nation. The others are in Alaska (4), Hawaii (4), California (2), Oregon (7), and Washington (3).

Read the full NOAA web story here.

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Customer Survey of General Public Yields Highest NWS Confidence Score to Date

The latest survey of an NWS customer base, this time the general public, has yielded an 84 (out of 100) for customer satisfaction -- the highest score of the seven NWS "service" surveys completed so far.

The survey was conducted from February 15 - March 8, 2005, by the Claes Fornell International Group.

The satisfaction rating is 12 points higher than the average score of the federal government and 10 points higher than the average score of the public and private sectors combined.

"While the public is clearly very satisfied with our superb weather support, analysis of the survey results indicates there are opportunities to elevate the NWS's level of service," said Brig. Gen. D.L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), NWS Director. "The results identified that improved accuracy in our hazardous weather products would result in the biggest ‘bang for the buck' in increasing the public's overall satisfaction. I'm confident we will continue to build on our successes while maintaining the high quality work that the public has come to expect from the National Weather Service. Thanks to everyone for your outstanding, sustained efforts in service to America!"

The survey was conducted using a range of options to encourage maximum participation of our customers. In addition to posting a link to the survey on the NWS Homepage, nearly all NWS offices highlighted the survey on their web pages. This widespread effort resulted in well over 10,000 completed surveys and more than 1,300 pages of comments and suggested improvements to our warnings and services.

The 150-page survey report contains the following notable highlights:

• Respondents indicated a high confidence (89) in the NWS and an even higher likelihood to take action (91) when NWS issues hazardous weather warnings (both out of 100).
• The vast majority of people indicated they knew the difference between a watch and a warning, and what action to take (and do take) for tornado warnings, winter storm/high wind/excessive heat/freeze watches and warnings.
• Our customers understand the imperative to take action in response to the most hazardous weather phenomenon - tornadoes. It was for this phenomenon that the highest percentage of users indicated they will always take action.
• The NWS has two primary categories of "public" users: the "general" public who indicates our precipitation and temperature information is as critical as hazardous weather information, and a segment of users for whom hazardous weather information is the overwhelming driver of satisfaction for safety or job-related decisions.

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Timely NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Warning Helps Save Kids at New York Elementary School

By Marcie Katcher
NWS Eastern Region Public Affairs Officer

Charles F. Johnson Elementary School in Endicott, NY, recently reaped the benefits of NOAA's NWS efforts to equip schools with NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards and safety plans. A severe thunderstorm with winds estimated up to 70 mph ripped through Endicott tearing the roof off of the kindergarten wing and devastating the building on June 6, 2005.

The Binghamton, NY, Weather Forecast Office (WFO) detected the severe thunderstorm with Doppler radar technology that allowed them to issue a severe thunderstorm warning 22 minutes before the storm actually arrived at the school. The warning activated the alarm on the school's NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards receiver and gave the school enough time to evacuate 340 students, faculty, and staff to designated "storm-safe" areas.

Damage done to Charles F. Johnson Elementary School in Endicott, NY, by high winds during a severe thunderstorm. Photo by Press and Sun Bulletin, Binghamton, NY, used with permission.

"Over 20 minutes of advanced warning allowed us to execute our severe weather safety plan, which in turn saved lives and prevented injuries," said William Tomic, Principal of Charles F. Johnson Elementary School. "Our school practices the severe weather safety plan at least twice per year and this time the practice paid off."

"While I have always been a big supporter of NOAA's Weather Radio program, at no time has its importance been clearer than on June 6, when severe weather ripped through Charles F. Johnson Elementary," said Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (R-New Hartford), Chair of the House Science Committee. "The prompt warning and emergency information Principal Tomic received from his weather radio enabled him to immediately implement his safety plan. His quick action no doubt saved the lives of our most precious resources - our children. I hope that this serves as a lesson for others to get a NOAA Weather Radio, have a safety plan, practice the plan and take action when alerted to severe weather."

Along with promoting the use of NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, WFO Binghamton also developed a strong working partnership with the local emergency management agency. Broome County Office of Emergency Services Director Mike Aswad notified the schools and other critical facilities in his county of the National Weather Service warning.

"This partnership proved very effective in warning the public of the severe storms that were approaching," said David Nicosia, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at WFO Binghamton.

"National Weather Service warnings no doubt prevented injuries and potentially saved lives," Aswad stated. "This was a fast moving, dangerous storm and there were no reported injuries or deaths in Broome County."

"Severe storms pounded a large part of New York and Pennsylvania from late morning through the afternoon the day of this severe weather event, leading to power outages effecting thousands of residents, numerous downed trees, and scattered reports of structural damage. Winds were estimated to be close to 70 mph during the height of the storm as it crossed New York and Pennsylvania. The ability to forecast the warning 22 minutes before the actual severe weather hit the school in Endicott is an outstanding example of how more accurate and timely forecasts save property and lives," said Dean Gulezian, Director, NWS Eastern Region.

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New NWS Training Center Director Named

Donna Layton has been selected as the Director, NOAA's National Weather Service Training Center (NWSTC), Kansas City, MO.

"Donna has been serving in an acting capacity for the last two years as the NWSTC Director and has demonstrated exceptional leadership and management skills," said Brig. Gen. D.L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), NWS Director. "She's already demonstrated tremendous skills, and I look forward to working with Donna on furthering NOAA and NWS goals."

The Training Center staff provides vital training and support to the field in a wide range of operationally critical areas including engineering and electronics, meteorology and hydrology, leadership and management, and administration. The Director's role in overseeing these is a key and challenging one in maintaining the highly trained workforce NWS needs.

Layton has over 25 years of government service and worked for the Department of the Army prior to coming to NWS in 2001. She played a key role in establishing NOAA's NWS Leadership Academy and created the Executive Leadership Seminar program for which she earned a 2004 NOAA Administrator Award. She earned a Masters Degree in Management from Webster University, St. Louis, MO, in 1986, and has 15 years experience designing, developing, and delivering employee development programs to meet mission goals.

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Local NWS Effort Heightens Rip Current Awareness

The Rip Current Awareness Strategies Team (RCAST), including several members of WFO Wilmington, NC, and a number of participating local agencies and individuals marked NOAA's Rip Current Awareness Week recently by participating in a wide array of activities.

These activities included television, radio, and newspaper interviews, state and local proclamations, and general outreach. Other activities included placing rip current safety posters and signs throughout the Wilmington area.

Participants in the WFO Wilmington, NC, Rip Current Awareness Strategies Team include (standing from left to right:) Gary Swart, JoAnn Swart, local residents; Elizabeth Constandy, New Hanover County Health Department; Nathan Kress, Mayfair 16 Theatre Manager; Stephen Keebler, Jessica Neiles, and Michael Caropolo, WFO Wilmington; Rene Lopez, New Hanover County Health Department; Rick Civelli, Surf Camp Wrightsville Beach; and (kneeling, from left:) Pam Federline, New Hanover County Schools; and Dave Baker, Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue.

RCAST was established in the fall of 2004 by members of WFO Wilmington, NC, New Hanover County Schools (Wilmington), Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue, North Carolina Sea Grant, and other agencies. Corporate sponsors such as General Electric are also involved. Other members of the team include local residents Gary and JoAnn Swart, who tragically lost a daughter to a rip current in 2002.

News of the efforts and accomplishments of the team has spread throughout the region, and in some instances, the Nation. The story of Gary and JoAnn Swart, who lost their daughter, Crystal, when she was caught in a rip current while swimming off the waters of Wrightsville Beach near Wilmington in 2002, caught the attention of the national media. The Swart's dedication and resolve to transform their disaster into an honorable endeavor through the efforts of RCAST attracted NBC's Today Show. The crew from the show attended the latest RCAST meeting on June 17, 2005, in Wilmington, conducted interviews and shot video footage. The story aired July 1, 2005.

The Swarts said they have been impressed with the efforts of RCAST. "Thanks to the National Weather Service for taking the lead in addressing the gaps in educational safety information about rip currents," they wrote in a note to the WFO. "The cooperation, respect, sharing of skills, and results, has softened our loss."

With the overwhelming success of an inaugural first year in hand, RCAST is now looking to the future. "We want to build on the many accomplishments and the momentum of the first year, and expand our efforts to all the beach communities in our area of responsibility," said Journeymen Forecaster and RCAST member Stephen Keebler.

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Snapshots

Click here for a look at photos we've received from around the NWS.