GENERALizations: Strengthening Federal Partnerships

By General D.L. Johnson
NWS Director

Recently, I participated in team building sessions with members of the Department of Interior's U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to explore earth science topics common to our agencies.

Moving research to operations is a goal we have in common with our NASA partners. On October 28, 2004, NCEP Director Louis Uccellini and I visited GSFC's Earth Sciences Directorate in Greenbelt, MD, where we were briefed on topics that included global and hurricane modeling, and weather and seasonal forecasting. NASA is working on new analysis techniques that show how specific observations impact weather forecast skill and how satellite data impacts seasonal forecast skill. The four-hour visit concluded with overviews of two upcoming satellite programs, Aquarius and Hydros, that may help us better understand ocean processes. As a result of this exchange, we are developing a plan with GSFC to pair NASA research with NWS operations. We are, in fact, good partners with NASA in earth sciences.

Office of Hydrologic Development Director Gary Carter with Mike Smith, Pedro Restrepo, and George Smith joined me on October 29, 2004, as we hosted a session with USGS partners and representatives of NOAA's National Severe Storms and Environmental Technology Labs on mud and debris flow forecasting. You may have read about this in Vice Adm. Lautenbacher's Nov. 4 employee e-mail. Mud and large debris flows threaten the lives and safety of residents and are frequently caused by severe storms, cumulative precipitation, and snowmelt. We used to call these "mudslides," but, after lengthy discussions with the USGS, we agreed to use their term "debris flows." The USGS is the lead agency for this phenomenon, but we can certainly help by providing timely, accurate, and focused precipitation information.

We are exploring a multi-year project with USGS that will result in mud and debris flow prediction and warning services. When this collaboration bears fruit, USGS will be able to specify the risk of these phenomena in real-time. NOAA will provide multi-sensor rainfall estimates and quantitative precipitation forecasts, high resolution streamflow predictions, and a real-time service delivery infrastructure. The Department of Interior's world-class research, surface observation networks, and practical understanding of the characteristics and movement of land and water are the other essential components of this endeavor.

I am excited about the possibilities that came out of these sessions. I encourage everyone to look beyond what we do today and seek opportunities to strengthen our weather, water, and climate enterprise. It is all about teamwork at all levels.

Back to Top

Open Seasons Begin for Federal Health Benefits, Flexible Spending Accounts

The open season for Federal Health Benefits and for Flexible Spending Accounts runs November 8 through December 13, 2004. A new choice joins the other options available to Federal employees in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program - High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) that incorporate Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

Learn more about health benefits options here http://www.opm.gov/hsa. For information on Flexible Spending Accounts, go to http://www.fsafeds.com/fsafeds/.

Back to Top

WFO Marquette Conducts 'Walk a Mile in my Shoes' EEO and Diversity Exercise

Forecaster James LaRosa found that "the chair was not easily maneuvered through the front entryway to the building," and expressed difficulty in holding doors open as he wheeled through. James also experienced frustration in carrying objects as he moved about the building.

WFO Marquette Meteorologist-In-Charge Ed Fenelon said he found it far more difficult to get properly positioned in front of AWIPS or a PC from the wheelchair as compared to an office chair. "Using the sink in the break room or the drinking fountain in the hall took on a whole new perspective," Fenelon added.

"Using the wheelchair definitely gave me a different perspective on what it is like for those that need them," said Andy Just, Meteorologist Intern. "Like they say, you never know what something is like until you try it yourself."

"Our office seems to be fairly accessible with a wheelchair," said Lead Forecaster Donald Rolfson, "but when you think about how many buildings and places of business are not completely wheelchair friendly, you get an idea of the scope of the problems those with disabilities encounter. Add to that the abundant snow that falls across Upper Michigan, I can't imagine how difficult it would be to get around in the snow and ice."

Meteorologist Intern Bryan Mroczka echoed others comments about the challenge with navigating through doorways. Phone calls, he said, were another challenge. "I found it much more difficult to reach a ringing phone in an appropriate timeframe from the other side of the room then if I could just walk over," Mroczka said. "The whole exercise was an educational experience, good diversity training."

"While the individuals pictured smiled for the camera, the experience itself was sobering enlightenment as to what the workplace is like for those with physical challenges," Fenelon said. "When we actually take the time to experience and understand the world of those who live differently from us, it's amazing what we can learn."

Back to Top

Professional Development: AMS Summer Policy Colloquium

The American Meteorological Society is hosting a 10-day colloquium to help mid-level managers, doctoral students, and faculty in the atmospheric sciences learn more about the government policy process and how it benefits the atmospheric sciences.

The colloquium is scheduled for June 5-14, 2005, in Washington, DC. The program consists of high-level speakers from academia, government, and the corporate world; case studies; and participant exercises. Participants also visit Capitol Hill for sessions with congressional staff.

Registration information is available here.

Back to Top

Washington, DC, Area Combined Federal Campaign Underway

Each year, Federal employees and military personnel raise millions of dollars for thousands of non-profit charities through the Combined Federal Campaign.

In the Washington, DC National Capital Area (NCA), the 2004 CFC kicked off on Tuesday October 26, 2004. Chris Dietz, from the NWS Office of Hydrologic Development, is this year's coordinator for the NWS's National Capital Area Campaign.

The 2004 campaign holds some interesting challenges for Dietz. NWS Director Brig. Gen. D. L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), wanted "100 percent contact" with employees by the end of the first week (Nov. 1).

"We didn't quite reach our goal within that first week," Dietz said, "but we made it during the second week. On the plus side, we did manage to reach 30 percent of our dollar goal by the end of the first week." Dietz was quick to point out that one office reached an impressive 120 percent of their dollar goal in just one week.

Gen. Johnson is also encouraging employees involved in the CFC NCA campaign to reach dual goals of $173,635 in pledges and contributions, and 540 full-time employee participants, by November 15 -- the end of the third campaign week. His philosophy is that most employees make quick decisions about their giving, so employees should pledge early and wrap up the campaign long before the planned mid-December end of the fund-raising effort.

Johnson encourages all employees across the country to adopt a similar philosophy during their CFC campaign season. In a note to DC-based employees he wrote," Let's knock this out rather than drag this out...I believe, TRUST, and am convinced that people will be generous through this campaign and will make the dollar goal."

Although the NWS CFC NCA runs until mid-December for payroll contributions, Dietz is optimistic about reaching the NWS Director's three-week goal.

"I have the support of 50 excellent volunteers, and they're going to find out very quickly just how determined I can be," she said.

Back to Top

Cost Management Question of the Month

James Calkins from the Office of Science and Technology is the September cost management question of the month winner. The question was:

Which of the following cost objects is defined as follows?

All activities necessary to comply with internal, local, state and federal environmental laws, rules and regulations. For additional information on compliance reference the NWS Environmental Management Manual (NWSM-50-1116) Examples include: responding to environmental incidents; restoring and decontaminating sites; conducting environmental assessments; environmental compliance training; and, participating in waste and pollution prevention and recycling.

Choose one answer.

• 5.8
• 4.1
• 6.2
• 6.4
• None of the Above

His correct answer was cost object 6.2 Environmental Compliance. Congratulations James!

November's cost management question of the month is:

Which region had the lowest IFPS cost during the 4th Quarter? Please state the region and the dollar amount.

The following link provides a clue and contains the answer.

http://rims.nws.noaa.gov/qotm/Cost_Obj_By_Quarter_FMC_V30.pdf

E-mail your answer to Natalie.Robinson@noaa.gov no later than November 24, 2004. The first correct answer received wins an NWS shirt.

Back to Top

NWS Snapshots

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

Back to Top