National Weather Service

1. National Weather Service Terror in the Heartland Technology and Disaster Alert Systems NOAA Weather Radio and HazCollect Jim KeeneyWarning Coordination MeteorologistNWS Central Region, Kansas City, MO Jim KramperWarning Coordination MeteorologistNWS St. Louis, MO

2. Overview • NOAA Weather Radio (NWR)HistoryHow it worksWhere are we now • Emergency Alert SystemHistoryConnection to NWR/NWS • HazCollect

3. NOAAWeather Radio • Developed in early to middle 1970s • Primary mission is to broadcast weather information 24-hours a day • In 1975: Designated as the sole government operated radio system to direct warnings into private homes. • Expanded to cover many hazards/emergencies NOAA All Hazards Radio

4. NOAA Weather Radio How does it work? • Low-power transmitters: 300 – 1000 wattsCoverage: 40 – 50 mile radius • Broadcast on the Public Service Band162.400 –162-550 MHz • Broadcast originates from NWS Office • Computer Driven System • Telephone lines, Microwave link

5. NOAA Weather Radio How does it work? • Specific Area Message Encoding • Digital code • Event • Location • Automated commercial stations • Home weather radios

6. NOAA Weather Radio Expansion • Number of transmitters covering MO has more than doubled • Missouri Electric Cooperatives • SEMA

7. NWR Sites in Missouri

8. Emergency Alert System (EAS)Overview • Started as Emergency Broadcast SystemEBS • National Emergencies • Allow President access to commercial broadcast industry • Weather became majority of activations99% • Voluntary system

9. EASHistory • 1990: FCC decided to update EBS • New digital technology • Call for development • Two systems • One based on the NWS Specific Area Message Encoding system (SAME) • Field Test • System with SAME was selected

10. How EAS Works • Official entity develops the emergency message • Deliver it to the broadcast media: Local Primary station (LP-1) • LP-1 encodes message and broadcasts • Other stations monitor LP-1, get the message and broadcast

11. EASNWS Connection • Basic system: Developed by NWS • But: EAS is controlled by the FCCEAS is operated by the commercial broadcast industry • NWS is an Input into EAS • Automatic Input

12. Activating EASIn Missouri • Input into the system • NWS • Broadcast Media • Missouri Highway Patrol • SEMA

13. EAS • Codes (many just came into effect) • TOR – Tornado Warning • SVR – Severe Thunderstorm Warning • CEM – Civil Emergency Message • CAE – Child Abduction Emergency • TOE – 911 Telephone Outage • NUW – Nuclear Power Plant Warning

14. HazCollect • Provides an IT interface for non-weather emergency messages between state and local systems and NWS offices • Eliminates the time for manual message composition and security checks by NWS personnel • System will offer 17 different messages • Will be monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

15. Current System • NWS broadcasts non-weather civil emergency messages (CEMs) over NWR • Received at the local Weather Forecast Office (WFO) by telephone or fax from local/state government agencies • Author of the information is manually authenticated and authorized by the WFO

16. Current System • The message is evaluated and manually input by WFO staff into the NWS Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) • After creation it is then disseminated via NOAAPORT, NOAA Weather Wire Service, Family of Services, EMs Weather Information Network and NWR

17. Shortfalls • Manual Security and authentication process • Not adapted for warnings at the national level, except for Nuclear Attack Warning • Message composition process time • Error Prone • Requires WFO staff intervention

18. NWS Long Term Plan(HazCollect) • In June 2004, NOAA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) signed a MOU that provides the capability for DHS to broadcast national/regional emergency hazards messages over NWR to the American public. • Streamlines the creation, authentication, and collection of messages. • Planned initial operational capability in late 2005.

19. System Overview • EM interface connects to the secure Disaster Management Interoperability Service (DMIS) network to communicate with other EMs and to distribute non-weather emergency messages • NWS systems receive the messages, verifies authenticity and forwards to NWR

20. NWWS NWS Firewall NWS WFOs NWS SBN EMS DMIS NCF TG Hazcollect Firewall Gateway Servers Gateway CRS Converts CAP to CAP Format AWIPS WMO Transmitters NOAA Weather Radios Process and disseminate WMO Header

21. Message Preparation • EM's will have the choice of creating an English or Spanish message. • Message will include: • What - type of event • Where – county, or portion thereof • When – expiration date/time • Call to action statement • Who, why, other pertinent facts

22. Conclusion • NWR is the only Government owned and operated radio network and provides the most robust dissemination infrastructure • Located in every state • Linked to the EAS • NWR receivers are widely available in the commercial market

23. Conclusion • The agreement between NOAA and the DHS signed in June will allow EM’s direct access to NOAA’s All-Hazards Network. • This will enhance and augment the current system, automating the end-to-end dissemination of emergency messages to the American public

24. The End