Seneca County Weather Operations Plan Dan Stahl Administrator Seneca County Department of Public Safety Hazardous Weather Course May 17-19, 2005 NOAA’s National Weather Service

Gearing Up for Action DetectWarnRespond

Detect Notification that a Severe Weather event has occurred or will occurNotification that a Severe Weather event has occurred or will occur –Issued by NWS in Cleveland –Event reported to authorities by a citizen –Event confirmed by a trained Skywarn Spotter Confirm that local alerts are issuedConfirm that local alerts are issued –Get the information flowing –Ham, Public Safety, Dispatch Facilities –Community sirens if necessary –Contact known gatherings of large crowds inside, outside events

Simultaneous Activities The Crew SkywarnSkywarn Public Safety SpotterPublic Safety Spotter EOC StaffEOC Staff All 3 can work simultaneously or individuallyAll 3 can work simultaneously or individually Skywarn may activate before the othersSkywarn may activate before the others EOC Staff may already be in placeEOC Staff may already be in place How do we make it work?How do we make it work?

Simultaneous Activities The Crew We will examine each group as individual entities and show how they work simultaneously to respond to Severe Weather

Gearing up for Action Notified of Event – General Information Knowledge of a probable threatKnowledge of a probable threat –NWS issued Watch or Warning Reaction to an issued Watch or WarningReaction to an issued Watch or Warning –Varies by group and type of Watch or Warning –Activation may hinge on a Warning in a nearby county Key players are notifiedKey players are notified Each group has a formal activation planEach group has a formal activation plan

Gearing up for Action EOC the Entity The EOC and “satellite” areas will usually be the first automated system to relay a Watch or WarningThe EOC and “satellite” areas will usually be the first automated system to relay a Watch or Warning – s relayed from NOAA Weather Radios Alpha / Numeric Pagers & cell phonesAlpha / Numeric Pagers & cell phones Internet Internet – s relayed from subscription services Storm NowStorm Now Ohio EMAOhio EMA –Radio announcements NOAA Weather Radio and Emergency Alert System (EAS)NOAA Weather Radio and Emergency Alert System (EAS) Rebroadcast on EMA frequencyRebroadcast on EMA frequency

Gearing up for Action EOC the Staff During the work dayDuring the work day –At the office –Within range –Usually monitoring the weather –Taking calls from Skywarn and Public Safety workers –Taking calls from the National Weather Service –Can easily initiate any Severe Weather action –All EOC staff have multiple qualifications Trained emergency personnelTrained emergency personnel Amateur Radio operatorsAmateur Radio operators

EOC Analysis EOC the Staff After the Severe Weather eventAfter the Severe Weather event –Evaluate the condition of the county Further weather reportsFurther weather reports Survey of respondersSurvey of responders Damage reportsDamage reports How bad are we?How bad are we? Continue relief efforts if necessaryContinue relief efforts if necessary Close EOC and go homeClose EOC and go home

EOC Analysis Some Considerations for EOC Type of eventType of event –Slow moving SnowstormSnowstorm IceIce WindsWinds FloodingFlooding –Fast moving Severe ThunderstormSevere Thunderstorm TornadoTornado Flash floodingFlash flooding –Unexpected conditions

EOC Analysis Some Considerations for EMA Director Activate EOC as RequestedActivate EOC as Requested –EMA Director –An Incident Commander –A Public Safety Dispatch Entity (communications level) –Mayor –County Commissioner –Any individual or group with authority and need which is within the ability of the EMA Director to respond and activate the EOC Your activation criteria for EOC participationYour activation criteria for EOC participation

EOC Analysis Some Considerations for EMA Director Switching Hats During an EventSwitching Hats During an Event –Amateur Radio Operator –Skywarn –EOC –Skywarn –EOC Usually you should pick your position and stay with itUsually you should pick your position and stay with it –Saves confusion –Keeps stress down

Gearing up for Action Public Safety Responder The Public Safety Responder is usually Fire, EMS, and Law EnforcementThe Public Safety Responder is usually Fire, EMS, and Law Enforcement –They can be notified in the usual automated ways –They can be contacted by telephone or two-way radio

Gearing up for Action Public Safety Responder Activation CriteriaActivation Criteria –Tornado Warning for Seneca County –Tornado Warning for an Adjacent County that could affect Seneca County –While under an existing Tornado Watch the NWS issues a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Seneca County –Imminent Danger from Severe Weather “Something is going on…”“Something is going on…” “Gut feeling”“Gut feeling” Don’t put blinders onDon’t put blinders on

Gearing up for Action Public Safety Responder During the work dayDuring the work day –At home or work –Within range –May be monitoring the weather

Gearing up for Action Public Safety Responder Activate Public Safety ResponderActivate Public Safety Responder –ALL CALL – West / East on S.A.F.E. radio system –FYI: we are also simultaneously activating Amateur Radio if not already active –Tell responders that Weather Information for Seneca County will be coordinated on SEN EOC public safety radio channel Goal is to update every 15 minutesGoal is to update every 15 minutes Keep information going out to workersKeep information going out to workers Let’s them know we are active, workingLet’s them know we are active, working –Spotters notify EOC with their positions in the field Pre-determined locationsPre-determined locations Protection factor for personnel and resourcesProtection factor for personnel and resources

Gearing up for Action Public Safety Responder Spotters Report Weather ConditionsSpotters Report Weather Conditions –Call in to EOC on assigned channel –We set up an informal Public Safety Responder weather net –Net control is either an EOC staff or Skywarn Net Controller Trained spotters know what Weather data we needTrained spotters know what Weather data we need –We use Skywarn criteria –Some spotters are not formally trained –How do we react to spotter reports? Health & Welfare and Damage ReportsHealth & Welfare and Damage Reports –What gets action –Who handles each type of report

P. S. Responder Analysis Public Safety Responder After the Severe Weather eventAfter the Severe Weather event –Evaluate the condition of the county Further weather reportsFurther weather reports Survey of respondersSurvey of responders Damage reportsDamage reports How bad are we?How bad are we? Continue relief efforts if necessaryContinue relief efforts if necessary Stand-down the spottersStand-down the spotters

P. S. Responder Analysis Some Considerations – Public Safety Responder Type of eventType of event –Slow moving Public Safety Responders will probably not have a formal weather netPublic Safety Responders will probably not have a formal weather net They may be instructed to monitor the SEN EOC channelThey may be instructed to monitor the SEN EOC channel Severe snowfall, ice storms and disruptive winter weather may require some type of formal net to manage recovery and resourcesSevere snowfall, ice storms and disruptive winter weather may require some type of formal net to manage recovery and resources –Fast moving Placement of resources in the field helps with weather reportsPlacement of resources in the field helps with weather reports Disbursing resources can lower possibility of damage from stormDisbursing resources can lower possibility of damage from storm –Unexpected conditions As needed activationAs needed activation

Gearing up for Action Skywarn Responder The Amateur Radio Skywarn ResponderThe Amateur Radio Skywarn Responder –They can be notified in the usual automated ways –They can be contacted by telephone or two-way radio

Gearing up for Action Skywarn Responder During the work dayDuring the work day –At their home or work –Within range –May be monitoring the weather –Are usually the most active of the Severe Weather observers

Gearing up for Action Skywarn Responder Activate Skywarn ResponderActivate Skywarn Responder –County-wide Skywarn Net on the local repeater / SIMPLEX system –Any Amateur Radio operator knowledgeable of net procedure may activate the net as Net Control on a temporary basis (until other help arrives)on a temporary basis (until other help arrives) Permanent basis (until Severe Weather abates)Permanent basis (until Severe Weather abates) –FYI: we simultaneously activate Public Safety Responders

Gearing up for Action Skywarn Responder Activate Skywarn ResponderActivate Skywarn Responder –Skywarn Net “Condition” Levels determine severity “Green,” “Yellow,” and “Red”“Green,” “Yellow,” and “Red” Goal is to update net members every 15 minutesGoal is to update net members every 15 minutes Keep information going out to workersKeep information going out to workers –Spotters notify Net Control with their positions in the field Hams can be mobile or stationaryHams can be mobile or stationary Hams might be requested to report to EOC for dutyHams might be requested to report to EOC for duty

Gearing up for Action Skywarn Responder Spotters Report Weather ConditionsSpotters Report Weather Conditions –Weather reports are relayed to our District Skywarn Net which relays them immediately to NWS in Cleveland –Check with adjacent counties to research weather headed our way –Advise counties that will get “our” weather when it moves through and out of our county –Seneca County Skywarn might be enlisted to relay weather reports from other counties –Amateur Radio also relays Public Safety Responder weather reports

Gearing up for Action Skywarn Responder Trained spotters know what Weather data we needTrained spotters know what Weather data we need –We use the District-accepted Skywarn criteria –Some spotters may not be formally trained –How do we react to spotter reports? –No “fair weather” reports Health & Welfare and Damage ReportsHealth & Welfare and Damage Reports –What gets action –Who handles each type of report

Skywarn Analysis Skywarn Responder After the Severe Weather eventAfter the Severe Weather event –Evaluate the condition of the county Further weather reportsFurther weather reports Survey of Skywarn respondersSurvey of Skywarn responders Damage reportsDamage reports How bad are we?How bad are we? Continue relief efforts if necessaryContinue relief efforts if necessary Stand-down the Skywarn spottersStand-down the Skywarn spotters Deactivate the Skywarn NetDeactivate the Skywarn Net

Skywarn Analysis Some Considerations – Skywarn Responder Type of eventType of event –Slow moving Nets might not be necessary if weather does not meet criteriaNets might not be necessary if weather does not meet criteria We might still be on the radio discussing weather and giving occasional weather bulletinsWe might still be on the radio discussing weather and giving occasional weather bulletins –Fast moving “expected” weather Nets may need to be activated immediately without personnel being located at the EOCNets may need to be activated immediately without personnel being located at the EOC Some nets may immediately be at the “Red” condition levelSome nets may immediately be at the “Red” condition level –Unexpected conditions Pop-up storms may require immediate activationPop-up storms may require immediate activation

Gearing up for Action Be Prepared! PracticePracticePractice