PART 1:Communicating hurricane forecast information and uncertainty to emergency

management officials

Pam Shrauger

IMAGINE…

• You are a local emergency manager on the coast with a hurricane approaching.

• You are responsible for coordinating all local response through an Emergency Operations Center.

What are the types of tasks you are likely to perform?

What type of information do you need?

FEMA’s Hurricane Liaison Team

• Team of Emergency Managers, Meteorologists, Hydrologists, and Videoteleconference Technicians

• Located in a tiny room at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) with a “Risk Analyst” often at a FEMA Regional Operations Center (ROC)

• We do NOT forecast, rather we communicate the information and provide a direct channel to and from the NHC

National Hurricane Center, Miami, FL, Sept 15, 2004 -- National Hurricane Center meteorology operations are at full tilt during an advisory twelve hours before Hurricane Ivan's predicted landfall. Mandatory credit: Melissa Ann Janssen/FEMA

Atlanta, Georgia, July 9, 2005 -- FEMA Region IV management staff listen to a briefing from the National Hurricane Center (screen). Region IV is preparing for the landfall of Hurricane Dennis. FEMA Photo/Mark Wolfe

Atlanta, Georgia, July 7, 2005 -- The FEMA Region IV staff listen to the daily briefing from the National Hurricane Center in the Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC). FEMA Region IV is preparing for the landfall of Hurricane Dennis. FEMA Photo/Mark Wolfe

Products• Emergency Management Video

Teleconferences (allows for brief presentation on storm and questions from the audience)

• Real Media Briefing for the Public on FEMA’s website

• Fielding questions and specific information distribution

• Hurrevac – “Hurricane Decision Assistance Tool for Government Emergency Managers”

Usual Audience

• State Emergency Operations Centers• Some Local Emergency Operations

Center• FEMA Regional Operations Center• FEMA Headquarters/EST (many federal

agencies)• Department of Homeland Security• White House (and sometimes even the

President)

Key Communication Considerations

• Emergency Managers are NOT meteorologists – common language is needed.

• Degree of uncertainty is very important. These people are often making life and death decisions.

• Time is of the essence. They have a lot to do.

• Be available for follow-up, task specific questions with more detailed answers.

PART 2:Working with county officials to develop disaster mitigation

plans

Pam Shrauger

What is a Mitigation Plan?

• Plan that analyses the hazards and lists strategies to prevent or minimize future losses.

• Requires approval by FEMA for future disaster mitigation funding

• Uses a collaborative community-wide approach involving many stakeholders

Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan Challenges

• Much of the US has part-time local emergency managers.

• Most know a lot about their community but not a whole lot about their hazards.

• “Pre-Disaster” = not an immediate priority

• Mitigation is so important yet gets overlooked in places that rarely have disasters.

Communication Tips

• Make it local.

• Use maps.

• Quantify losses.

• Break it down into “pet hazards”.

• Involve a wide variety of stakeholders.

• Be passionate and enthusiastic.