®
5104 Caroline
Weather Research Center
Houston, Texas 77004
Phone: 713-529-3076
Fax: 713-528-3538
E-mail: wrc@wxresearch.org
The Nation’s First Weather Museum Honors Three Groups of Weather
Heroes for Outstanding Service in 2012
Jill F. Hasling, President and Doug Devoy, Chairman of the Board of Weather Research Center presenting 2012 Weather
Hero award to Steve Long of Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management
Houston, Texas (February 5, 2013) – The Nation’s first Weather Museum at Weather Research Center in
Houston, Texas honored the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (NOAA Hurricane Hunters), Bastrop County
Office of Emergency Management, Jamie Rhome (National Hurricane Center), Joseph Sienkiewicz (Ocean
Prediction Center), Kyle Struckman (NWS Virginia), and Gary Szatkowski (NWS New Jersey) for some of the
most outstanding programs and efforts in 2012. The awards will be given out at the Center’s 7th Annual Weather
Hero Awards on February 2, 2013 at the John C. Freeman Weather Museum.
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WRC advances the science of weather and the knowledge of the weather’s impact on the global community
through research, prediction and education in order to inspire America’s next generation of scientists and engineers.
NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (NOAA Hurricane Hunters)
For data collected by Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) crew-members and support staff during high-visibility
missions and for the constant efforts and success the organization has had in reaching out and informing the
public about hurricanes and other science related topics. The data collected inside and outside the storms by the
AOC, play a major role in helping NOAA/NHC and NWS forecasters, as well as Emergency Managers, make
extremely important calls. What is less known, are the constant efforts and success the organization has had in
reaching out to the public. During tropical storm operations, interviews with members of the NOAA Hurricane
Hunters can be found in newspapers, on TV, and on radio stations across the globe. During Hurricane Isaac's
landfall, AOC Flight Meteorologists were conducting live interviews from the storm for both The Weather
Channel, and the BBC. During Hurricane Sandy, live interviews were conducted multiple times with both CNN
and Fox News, often from the air. Not only have they been successful in reaching the public through the media,
NOAA Hurricane Hunters have spoken to hundreds of students about Hurricanes and other science topics
throughout the year, and even more during their regular participation in the yearly Great American Teach-In. In
2012, talks about NOAA Hurricane missions were given to students from Tampa to Boston, and as far away as
Kingston University, London, England. Additionally, aircraft tours are given to both student and adult groups on a
regular basis. In 2012, AOC Flight Meteorologists took an additional strategic step to educate others about
Hurricanes through social media. The reach became world-wide, with over 17,000 facebook and twitter fans, and
a facebook statistic stating that nearly 500,000 people were reached during Hurricane Sandy. This is all due to a
pro-active effort by the organization to better educate the public, most specifically about their Science missions.
Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management
For their outstanding efforts in the face of extreme danger during the tragic 2011 Bastrop County Complex Fires.
This major wildfire struck Bastrop County, Texas, between September and October 2011.Three separate fires
started on September 4, 2011, during Labor Day weekend, and merged into one large blaze that burned east of the
city of Bastrop. 1,691 homes were destroyed by the fire, including the homes and family possessions of many of
the fire-fighters battling to control the blaze, making it the most destructive single wildfire in Texas history. This
tragic fire completely destroyed much of the internet, cellular and phone lines in the burn area with the
exception of one method of communication, their Weather Radios. They were able to receive
information via their weather radios, which was one of the ways to communicate with the residents
while they fought the fires. Bastrop County turned quickly to the National Weather Service Austin/San
Antonio office to issue evacuation notices over several days. Out of over 5,000 people evacuated only 2
fatalities were reported.
Jamie Rhome (National Hurricane Center), Joseph Sienkiewicz (Ocean Prediction Center), Kyle
Struckman (NWS Virginia), and Gary Szatkowski (NWS New Jersey)
For providing the record breaking surge forecasts for northern NJ, NYC Harbor, and the waters surrounding
Long Island and for making the direct calls to the NYC Emergency Operations Center that alerted the NYC
officials to the life threatening conditions. Additionally, for the direct (and forceful) communications with the New
Jersey state emergency operations center and for the specific and consistent articulation of the threats posed by
Hurricane Sandy to the general public. Jamie Rhome, Joseph Sienkieweiz, and Kyle Struckmann worked
the extratropical surge forecast and not only iterated with the NYC Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
on Saturday night and Sunday Morning as the surge forecasts were updated from 8 foot to 11 foot surge
at Battery Park (predicated record surge) but then called back to reemphasize the historic nature of this
surge when the reaction from the EOC was less than expected. In the second call Jamie again
emphasized the life threatening aspect of the surge and that he was confident that NYC was in a worst
case scenario that they had to react to. Within an hour on Sunday morning, NYC finally instituted
evacuation orders. Gary Szatkowski and his direct and specific statements concerning the potential
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WRC advances the science of weather and the knowledge of the weather’s impact on the global community
through research, prediction and education in order to inspire America’s next generation of scientists and engineers.
impact of the storm and threats to human life were the basis for the evacuation efforts that clearly saved
lives in the coastal areas of New Jersey that sustained the maximum impacts from Hurricane Sandy as
the storm approached the coastal portion of NJ.
In 2006, Weather Research Center opened the nation’s first Weather Museum. In order to celebrate this event, the
Center established the Weather Hero Awards.
The Weather Hero Award is given to those individuals or groups who have demonstrated heroic qualities in the
following fields: Education of others in the fields of science or math; Volunteer efforts to the meteorological
community; and Helping others during the time of a weather crisis. Previous Weather Heroes include Dr. Neil
Frank, Dr. John C. Freeman and Dr. Abelardo Saavedra in 2006; Fr. Patrick O. Braden, Bill King and Shell Oil
Company in 2007; Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, City of Houston Mayor Bill White, Bill Read, Weatherford
and Simonton Windows in 2008; Douglas Devoy, Dr. Steve Lyons and Second Grade Science Teachers of The
Kinkaid School (Kaylan Caballero, Linda Case, Cindy Holubec, Susan Little and Kim Brown) in 2009; American
Meteorological Society, Kenneth Graham (NWS), and KHOU-TV in 2010; and the American Red Cross, John
Nielsen-Gammon, Cecilia Sinclair, and Jim Stefkovich in 2011.
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Media Contact: Jill Hasling, wrc@wxresearch.org, 713-529-3076
About The Weather Museum
The Weather Research opened The John C. Freeman Weather Museum in 2006. As well as housing nine permanent
exhibits, the museum also offers many exciting programs including weather camps, boy/girl scout badge classes, teacher
workshops, birthday parties and weather labs. Memberships to The Weather Museum start at $25. Benefits and discounts
vary depending on level of membership, but include free admission year-round, tickets to special events and exhibit
openings, tours and discount on merchandise. For more information call 713-529-3076 or visit
www.weathermuseum.org
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WRC advances the science of weather and the knowledge of the weather’s impact on the global community
through research, prediction and education in order to inspire America’s next generation of scientists and engineers.