Impact Based Decision Support from
a State Liaison Office Perspective
Brian Montgomery & Ian Lee
NWS Albany
WFO BGM Sub-Regional Workshop 2015
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Objectives
Decision Support Services (DSS) as a state liaison
office
Local training initiatives
Examples of state liaison activities
Benefits of DSS
2
Transparent Communications
Decision Support Services (DSS)
3
DSS Communication Channels
NWSChat
Email
BTV
BUF
ALY
BGM
OEM/EOC
OKX
Social
Media
Telephone
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NWS Albany DSS Training Plan
Incident Command courses (ICS)
Intro to ICS
ICS for Single Resource and Initial Action Incidents
NIMS: an Introduction
National Response Framework: an Introduction
New York State Emergency Operations Courses*
EOC Course
Disaster-LAN for EOC Personnel
NOAA/NWS Courses
Dispersion Basics
HYSPLIT Applications for Emergency Decision Support
Basic Briefing Training for Incident Support
Crisis Communication Module 1&2
Media Training
Hurricane Support
HURREVAC Software
Thin-Client
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NYSOEM On Site Support
• For major events (partial or full activations)
• Usually embedded in the Planning Section*
ICS 700
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State Liaison DSS Briefings…
Created for a large range of users (e.g. utilities,
DOH, DOT, police, Red Cross, Military)
Typically, heads of gov’t (e.g. Governor’s office) also
present
Keep briefings brief – focus on the highlights
Usually provided during shift change or for significant
weather changes (ex. track of a hurricane changes)
STAY ON MESSAGE
Incorporate thinking from surrounding NWS offices
(consolidate the message)*
nwsalbany.dss@noaa.gov
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What Should The Briefing Contain?
Start with an Overview
Focus on the “3 W’s” of impacts
What are the impacts
When will the impacts occur
Where will the impacts occur
Always important to incorporate confidence as well
Use probabilistic guidance when available!
Use regional-based graphics
GIS allows for greater customization and appealing
graphics
Enhanced Digital Display (EDD)
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Briefing Examples
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Hurricane Sandy
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More Recent DSS Activations
Blizzard Warnings for Long Island
Winter Storm Warnings for Upstate NY
January 2014
Prospect St. in Herkimer, NY, on June 28, 2013
Other deployments:
November 2014 Buffalo Lake Effect Snow
and Flooding
January 2015 Northeast Blizzard
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State Liaison DSS Benefits
Consolidated and coordinated message allows for 1
forecast voice
On-site deployments to state EOC allow for person
to person interactions with various state agencies
Personally interact with agency representatives and
share information to other NWS offices
Co-learning opportunities with state
representatives through Statewide Learning
Management System (SLMS)
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Summary
 DSS critical to fulfilling the WRN initiative
 Communication Transparency
 Co-learning Incident Command Courses
 Building Core Partnerships
From the Governor's Office during Hurricane Sandy:
“Brian, thank you for taking a complex science and
breaking it down to simplistic standards”
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Thank You!!
Questions?
Brian.Montgomery@noaa.gov | Ian.Lee@noaa.gov
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