OFCM--Restructuring for the 21st Century

1. OFCM--Restructuring for the 21st Century Presented to the Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research September 22, 1998

2. Overview • Agency Review • 21st Century Priority Areas • Revised Committee Structure • Implementation Plan • Natural Disaster Reduction--Example • Upcoming Activities • Conclusions/Recommendations

3. Agency Review • Agency/Customer Outreach • Identify priority areas, issues, and problems within each agency. • Pulse each agency for ideas to improve the effectiveness of interagency coordination and cooperation. • Consolidate the agencies’ inputs.

4. 21st Century Priority Areas • Environmental Services and Supporting Research • Environmental Monitoring and Prediction • Technology Innovation • Computing, Communications, & Information

5. Environmental Services& Supporting Research21st Century Priorities

6. Environmental Monitoringand Prediction21st Century Priorities

7. Technology Innovation21st Century Priorities

8. Computing, Communicationsand Information21st Century Priorities

9. Streamlining the Federal Coordination Process • Program Council structure remains unchanged • Revised existing committee (4) and working group (19) infrastructure • Current infrastructure does not mesh well with the agencies’ perspectives and priorities • Joint action groups will replace many working groups • JAGs will focus on specific, time-critical issues • Current infrastructure has six (6) committees and nine (9) working groups

10. OFCM Organization Chart

11. Implementation Plan • Name Committee and Working Group Chairpersons (Oct 98) • Assemble Committees and Working Groups (Nov 98) • Develop Terms of Reference (Dec 98) • Begin the planning effort. The goal--a high level, interagency strategic plan

12. Implementation Plan (2) • Identify the high payoff, crosscutting issues on which to focus efforts: • Examples of current efforts: • Aviation weather • Space Weather • Y2K • Radio spectrum issues • Natural Disaster Reduction--a top priority

13. Implementation Plan (3) • Examples of other future efforts: • Coordinating the transition of research to operations • Transportation needs (surface and waterways) • Information dissemination technologies • Urban meteorology (Air quality/pollutants and their effects on human health) • Marine Coastal and Ocean Environments • Climate (Seasonal/long term variations and long term data sets ) • HPCC (DOE’s Accelerated Climate Prediction Initiative)

14. Technology Transition • Target research-developed technology for transition to operations; e.g., wind profilers, TOGA TAO array, TRMM, COSMIC • Assess the agencies’ mission needs, define requirements, and develop transition strategy • Identify responsible lead agency to coordinate funding of the operational implementation • Prepare crosscut study which outlines recommendations and conclusions

15. Surface Transportation • Issue: Weather support is minimal • Unmet needs include support to: • Travelers • Road maintenance/State DOT decision makers • Trucking/Railway/Bus Industries • Transportation safety • Need to work directly with the FHWA, State DOTs, and other transportation entities to define requirements and develop tailored decision aids

16. Information Dissemination Technologies • Explore using state-of-art and future technologies to ensure the delivery of products to key decision makers, like emergency managers, and to ensure the public is properly informed. • Criteria: • Point specific • Self-activating • Accessible and affordable • 24/7 availability

17. Examples: Emergency Alerting System NOAA Weather Radio TV/Radio Sirens/Air-Raid Sirens Alert Tones Internet (Current + Next generation) Reverse 911 Automated Alert Notification System The Communicator One-touch mapping Weather pagers Signals to PCs Information DisseminationTechnologies (2)

18. Urban Meteorology • Principal focus has been on air quality dispersion models and related research • Need advisory criteria that relate meteorological terms (like air quality and heat index) to effects on human health • According to the CDC, educating the public and implementing preventive strategies is critical • Innovative information dissemination technologies will play a key role

19. Marine Coastal and Ocean Environments • Expand the OFCM’s role in this arena • First step: Define the observation needs for both the marine coastal and deep ocean environments • Projects like the Global Ocean Observing System, the Coast Guard’s Deep Water Project, PORTS, and the NRC report on data buoys need to be evaluated • Ocean Partnerships: A Vision for the Future and Year of the Ocean activities call for improved research, partnerships, education, and exploration

20. Natural Disaster Reduction

21. “Hurricane Bonnie Example”

24. “Built Environment Example”

25. Natural Disaster Reduction--A Crosscut View

26. Natural Disaster Reduction • Under FCMSSR’s and ICMSSR’s direction, the Committee for Environmental Services, Operations, and Research Needs will direct the strategic planning effort • Working Group for Natural Disaster Reduction will serve as the committee’s executive agent for implementation

27. Key Linkages • FEMA’s National Mitigation Strategy • Project Impact • CENR/Subcommittee for Natural Disaster Reduction • Natural Disaster Reduction Initiatives • Interagency Working Group for USWRP (NOAA/NASA/NSF/Navy) • Modernization of Environmental Services (NOAA/DOD)

28. Examples of Current Shortfalls(Source: National Tornado Forum) • Watch/Warning message must be clear and consistent • Relevant to the local community • Criteria need to be reevaluated • Message must get to the public • Capitalize on state-of-the-art information dissemination technologies, like NOAA Weather Radio and Reverse 911 • Partner with state/local governments and the private sector to fill information voids

29. Current Shortfalls (2) • The public needs to be educated on the nature of the threat and how to respond appropriately • Research is needed on the human response to natural disasters • The societal and economic value of the product/services provided needs to be determined

30. Natural Disaster ReductionGoals • Improve interagency working relationships • Leverage the innovations, technologies, capabilities, and resources of other agencies • Establish better partnership alliances among the agencies, the academic community, and the private sector

31. Natural Disaster ReductionGoals (2) • Coordinate the transition of research to operations and target future research at operational needs • Enhance public outreach and raise the public’s awareness and literacy of the environment and its effects • Work to develop a sustainable environment

32. Upcoming Activities • 53rd Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference • February 8-12, 1999 • Expand the scope and participation • Natural disaster reduction will be the central theme • Breakout sessions will be used to address key operational issues

33. Upcoming Activities (2) • Aviation Weather Program Council (Nov 98) • Committee for Operational Processing Centers • Hosted by NAVOCEANO (November 4-5, 1998) • ICMSSR (Nov 98) • Space Weather Program Council (Jan 99)

34. Conclusions/Recommendations • OFCM is necessary for effective interagency coordination and cooperation. • To take on these significant interagency strategic planning initiatives, the OFCM needs additional resources and personnel. • FCMSSR’s commitment to and support of the interagency coordination process is critical to the success of the OFCM.