Employee Focus Groups Reveal Interest in Communications Training, Technical Information

The NWS Communications Office recently conducted focus groups with students at the NWS Training Center in Kansas City, MO, and heard first-hand about the need for more communications training within the organization and more in-depth information from headquarters on equipment installation, product launches, and new technology. The focus groups were conducted with a diverse group of field and headquarters employees who ranged from Electronics Technicians to Managers and represented every region.

"Focus groups are a scientific form of research [called qualitative market research] used to get opinions, attitudes, perceptions and beliefs about products, services, and ideas," explained Patricia Huff, NWS Communications Office, who moderated the sessions. "They offer the opportunity for immediate feedback."

"Focus groups allow respondents to share their ideas in their own words, without filters or outside interpretations," said Huff. The researcher can hear, first-hand, the opinions of each member of the group, something that quantitative market research (i.e., written, online, and telephone surveys) typically do not provide. Focus groups are often called “living research” because they allow for fuller exploration of issues than quantitative market research.

“The goal of the focus groups was to gather information on how we can improve employee communications within the NWS,” said NWS Communications Office Director Randee Exler. “We learned a great deal about overall employee communications needs, the effectiveness of NOAA's NWS Focus and other employee communications tools, and what employees think about communications between headquarters and the field. We will take all of the feedback into account as we continue to strengthen internal communications.”

One focus group participant’s comments echoed the opinions of many participants.

“I appreciated having someone from headquarters interfacing with field personnel,” the participant noted. “Communication at any level often leads to new ideas and a better understanding of how to improve any situation.”

More details of the focus group findings will be highlighted in an upcoming issue of NOAA's NWS Focus.

The Communications Office plans to hold more focus groups with NWS employees across the country to investigate how communications can be improved within the organization.

If you have story ideas, you don't have to wait to be in a focus group to share the information. Send the NOAA's NWS Focus editors an e-mail note at NWS.Focus@noaa.gov.

New Training Provides Vision of Future NWS Forecast Office

A new training course available to NWS offices is designed to give a vision of the future NWS forecast office. Among the topics covered are the descriptions of, and drivers behind, the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) and the Interactive Forecast Preparation System (IFPS).

“Many Science and Operations Officers have indicated that training is best delivered in the operational setting when staff have the time to work it into their schedules,” said Brian Motta, of the Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services Training Division, COMET Branch. Motta is the Executive Producer for the IFPS Professional Development Series.

"The course is designed to provide local office staff an overview vision of what implementation of Interactive Forecast Preparation System operations will be like, and some of the changes that will occur in how Weather Forecast Offices adapt operations,” said Lynn Maximuk, Meteorologist-In-Charge of WFO Pleasant Hill, MO.

The introductory training course has no prerequisites and is designed for both entry-level personnel and those with more experience. Maximuk created the presentation based mainly on the experiences at his office over the last five years.

“It is important that forecasters share a common vision of where the IFPS forecast process is leading us,” Maximuk added. “Implementation will affect work schedules, product generation, forecast process, and verification tools, as we move toward achieving our eventual goal of creating the National Digital Forecast Database."

The presentation and accompanying audio narration, found here, can be viewed with a desktop computer and takes about 35 minutes to complete. The course offers several interactive ways (the evaluation, e-mail, WWW forum, or conference calls) to ask questions. After the evaluation is returned, certificates of completion will be issued.

“The IFPS training team is very interested in feedback on the delivery mode of this training,” said Motta.

Initial comments from participants have been positive. A participant in Goodland, KS said, "I really like this recorded training. I feel it will have great utility." An Erie, PA, forecaster commented, "I have a better understanding of the NDFD after completing the recorded session."

For more information on this and other recently developed IFPS training, see the New Items section of the IFPS Training Information Page.

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Coordination between two Weather Service offices and the Casper Interagency Dispatch Center in late June probably saved dozens of firefighters from being trapped by a wind shift while battling the Daley Fire in Northeast Wyoming.

The evening forecast called for a dramatic change in wind speed and direction. Fast action by forecast offices and incident meteorologists working the fire got a warning to incident commanders, who acted on the guidance and got 40 firefighters to safety zones minutes before winds shifted and picked up speed. Read the rest of the story here.

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National Severe Storms Lab Supports NWS's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service

The NWS is working with NOAA Research’s National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) to further develop the capabilities of the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS).

NWS and NSSL recently discussed collaborative efforts related to the development of Quantitative Precipitation Estimation (QPE) algorithms to support AHPS, and continued support from NSSL for the NWS's flash flood program. Joint testing of new QPE algorithms is planned for FY 03. NSSL will also continue their support of the flash flood program by supporting NWS training and data development efforts during FY 03.

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Land Purchase Paves Way for New Doppler Radar

The NWS purchased land last week for a new Doppler weather radar to replace the current one located at Evansville Regional Airport, IN.

Enterprise Electronics Corporation of Enterprise, Ala., will construct the radar on land near Owensville, IN. Enterprise will build the radar under an $8.7 million fixed-price contract, which includes installation and maintenance of the radar for a 10-year period.

Site construction for the radar tower is scheduled to begin in early September, and the radar is expected to be operational in January 2003. Data from the radar will be used primarily by forecasters at the Paducah, Indianapolis, Louisville, and Central Illinois NWS Forecast Offices, according to Beverly A. Poole, Meteorologist-in-Charge of the Paducah, KY, Weather Forecast Office.

Also on the web...Citizens' Preparedness Guide

Through the Citizen Corps initiative, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is promoting a range of measures people can take to make their family, home, and community safer from the threats of crime, terrorism, and disasters of all kinds.

One of the publications available is The Citizens' Preparedness Guidebook. Produced by the National Crime Prevention Council with support from the Department of Justice, The Citizens' Preparedness Guidebook provides current crime and disaster preparedness techniques as well as the latest information on terrorism, to give Americans guidance on how to prepare in homes, in neighborhoods, at work, at the airport, in places of worship, and in public spaces.

Employee Milestones

• Click here to see NEW APPOINTMENTS/TRANSFERS to NWS through July 31, 2002.
• Click here to see RETIREMENTS/DEPARTURES from NWS through July 31, 2002.