Atmospheric Sciences Seminar

September 27, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Mānoa Campus, Marine Sciences Building, MSB 100

How can we help build a Weather-Ready Nation?


Charles Woodrum
Regional Operational Services Meteorologist
NOAA芒鈧劉s National Weather Service
Pacific Region Headquarters 芒鈧 Honolulu, HI

Date: Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Refreshments: 3:00pm at MSB lanai
Free Cookies, Coffee & Tea Provided
(Please Bring Your Own Cup)
Seminar Time: 3:30pm
Location: Marine Sciences Building, MSB 100

Abstract:

The Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) initiative began in 2013 as a unifying effort to enhance impact-based decision support services (IDSS), communication and outreach, build innovative partnerships, and push forward science and technology advancement in the weather, water, and climate enterprise. The WRN Ambassador recognition was developed to formally recognize NOAA partners who are improving the nation芒鈧劉s readiness, responsiveness, and overall resilience against extreme weather, water, and climate events. Through the initiative, it has enabled great new partnerships with groups that are uniquely vulnerable to high impact weather events. In 2016, this initiative was utilized to reach out to stadium managers, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, and the boating community to help them become more resilient to the possibility of a fatal lightning strike. Outreach and preparedness with these groups was initially focused on lightning, but by becoming WRN Ambassadors it enabled a closer working relationship for all hazards and has resulted in tools and resources to help educate the public.

By becoming WRN Ambassadors, Gallaudet University, multiple organizations serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in four states, the Stadium Managers Association, the Event Safety Alliance, and U.S. Sailing have all taken it upon themselves to take this initiative to another level. Leveraging each Ambassador芒鈧劉s unique skill-sets and stakeholders, these innovative partnerships have resulted in a new slogan for the hearing loss community, a new lightning public safety announcement, more stadiums with weather emergency action plans, and a weather safety plan for the boating community. This presentation will highlight the actions taken and help explain how we can all play a part in building a Weather-Ready Nation.


Event Sponsor
SOEST Atmospheric Sciences, Mānoa Campus

More Information
(808) 956-8775, SEE FLYER (PDF)

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