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NOAA Issues New Partnership Policy
NOAA announced on December 1, 2004, a new policy to strengthen the partnership among government, academia, and the private sector that provides the Nation with high quality environmental information.
The new policy responds to recommendations contained in the National Research Council's study, Fair Weather: Effective Partnerships in Weather and Climate Services (National Academy Press, 2003).
NOAA released the proposed policy for public comment in January 2004, and received a total of 1,473 comments, all of which were considered in developing the NOAA policy. Of the comments, 1,190 supported the proposed policy and 176 opposed it.
"NOAA has a broad responsibility to nurture the growth of a complex and diverse environmental information enterprise and to serve the public interest by giving our Nation the best environmental information services in the world," said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, in a NOAA news release. "The main purpose of the NOAA policy is to serve this broad responsibility. NOAA has specific mission responsibilities for a wide range of environmental information including weather and climate information, forecasts and warnings."
According to Ed Johnson, Director, NWS Strategic Planning and Policy Office (SPP), the new NOAA Policy does not change existing NWS policies regarding "New or Enhanced Products and Services" (NWS Instruction 10-102) or "Management of Information Resources" (NWS Policy Directive 1-10). Johnson explained, "Both directives are discussed briefly in the background paper attached to the NOAA policy which contains a sentence stating, 'The proposed NOAA policy is in general agreement with existing NWS Directives 1-10 and 10-102.'"
Johnson said SPP is developing a revision of Directive 1-10 and two associated instructions to address features of the new NOAA policy not currently included in 10-102 and 1-10 (e.g., to include procedures for discontinuing products and services). This revision will also formally rescind the 1991 policy (now the only remaining chapter in the old Weather Service Operations Manual -- precursor of our current NWS Directives System).
The NRC's study and the need for a new policy was bred from a recognition that the U.S. weather and climate enterprise - considered one of the best in the world - is composed of a dynamic partnership among government, academic, and private entities engaged in complementary and sometimes overlapping activities. The study found advances in science and technology have blurred the distinctions between the sectors.
Among its chief recommendations, the NRC identified the need for a policy that would recognize advances in technology and relevant law, and that would define processes for decision making rather than defining roles.
Key provisions of the new policy:
- NOAA will adhere to applicable law regarding government information, based on the premise that government information is a valuable national resource and the benefits to society are maximized when such information is available to all.
- NOAA will carry out activities that contribute to its mission and provide open and unrestricted access to publicly-funded information at the lowest possible cost.
- NOAA will provide information in forms accessible to the public as well as the underlying data in forms convenient to additional processing.
- NOAA will give due consideration to the ability of private sector entities and the academic and research community to provide diverse services and will consider the effects of its decision on the activities of these entities, to serve the public interest and advance the environmental information enterprise as a whole.
- NOAA will not haphazardly institute significant changes in existing information dissemination activities, or introduce new services without first carefully considering the full range of views and capabilities of all parties.
- NOAA will use appropriate mechanisms to encourage input from and collaboration with others on decisions affecting the environmental information enterprise.
- NOAA will promote the open and unrestricted exchange of environmental information worldwide.
- NOAA's participation in the environmental information enterprise will be based on the principles of mission connection, consultation, open information dissemination, equitable dealings, and recognition of the role of others.
"Every comment submitted, whether for or against the proposed policy, was given thoughtful consideration. These comments helped clarify the policy language and have made important contributions to its content," James R. Mahoney, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, noted in the NOAA news release. "We listened to everyone's concerns. Based on these comments, we've built-in appropriate avenues to handle complaints and reviews. This new policy puts the entire environmental information enterprise on solid footing as we continue to move forward."
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Boy Scout Tour Prompts Story of Life-Saving NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Warning
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Boy Scouts who used a NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards receiver to warn them of an approaching tornado recently visited the Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in Des Moines, IA, and shared their story.
On May 21, 2004, the Boy Scouts were hiking on a trail near the small north central Iowa town of Bradgate when darkening skies to the west prompted the assistant Scout Master Rev. Kevin Weeks to turn on his NOAA Weather Radio. The radio broadcast alerted the Boy Scouts that a tornado warning had been issued and that they were in the path of the storm. The troop quickly ran a half mile to the nearest lighted house in Bradgate and took shelter with the homeowner in the basement minutes before the F2 tornado hit. The Boy Scouts escaped injury free and later returned to Bradgate to help with the post storm clean up.
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Forecaster Rodney Donavon and the Bradgate Boys Scouts at WFO Des Moines, IA.
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Meteorologist Rod Donavon led a presentation and tour of the office during the scout group's visit. The presentation included radar data of the May 21, 2004, tornadic supercell, displayed on the Weather Event Simulator (WES), storm chaser video, and damage survey photographs and results. Donavon demonstrated how NEXRAD radar is able to detect rotation in thunderstorms and how the decision to issue a tornado warning is made. The scouts were later introduced to the Interactive Forecast Preparation System (IFPS) and briefed on the seven-day forecast before making a final stop at the observational equipment. Donavon said the scouts were very enthusiastic about weather and asked numerous questions on a variety of subjects.
For additional information regarding the tornado that struck Bradgate, refer to the storm survey on the WFO Des Moines web site.
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Forecast Office Talks Careers with University Students at Seminar
Careers in the National Weather Service were the topic of a recent presentation given by Forecaster Dave Kellenbenz at the University of North Dakota career seminar.
Kellenbenz, a General Forecast in the Grand Forks, ND, Weather Forecast Office (WFO) spoke about jobs at local forecast offices and addressed other career opportunities in the NWS.
Approximately 40 undergraduate meteorology students attended the seminar. Kellenbenz also spoke about the advantages of the Student Career Employment Program (SCEP) and volunteering opportunities at NWS forecast offices.
"I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the students," said Kellenbenz. "They listened intently to my talk, and asked some great questions about the NWS."
WFO Grand Forks staff members Meteorologist Intern Joshua Smith, Hydrometeorological Technician William Barrett, and Acting Meteorologist-In-Charge Brenda Brock also attended, and were on hand to answer questions from students and faculty before and after the presentation.
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