NWS Impact-Based Decision Support Services PDS

Weather-Ready Nation is about building community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather. To achieve this goal, it is imperative that the NWS expand its capacity to provide superior impact-based decision support services (IDSS) in all phases of the disaster life cycle. This Professional Development Series (PDS) focuses on identifying professional competencies needed to perform IDSS, along with an inventory of instructional components available to build those skill sets.

Professional Competency Units (PCUs)

PCUs 1 - 3

The first three areas of professional competency have been identified as essential for proficiency in the delivery of IDSS for all operational employees. All operational employees will complete these units.

Baseline Training (PCUs 1 - 3): Required IDSS Training for Operational Employees

Operational employees must complete Professional Competency Units (PCUs 1-3) of the IDSS Professional Development Series (PDS). An operational employee is someone who works in local, regional, or national operations. This includes working at national centers, CWSUs, RFCs, ROCs, NWSOC and WFOs. Here is a list of employees validated by the Mission Delivery Council (MDC) that are required to take IDSS baseline training.

CWSUs
Meteorologists
Meteorologists-in-Charge (MICs)

RFCs
Hydrologists (General/Senior)
HASs (General/Senior)
Development and Operations Hydrologists (DOHs)
Service Coordination Hydrologists (SCHs)
Hydrologists-in-Charge (HICs)

WFOs
Meteorologist Interns
Hydrometeorological Technicians (HMTs)
Observation Program Leaders (OPLs)
Forecasters (General/Senior)
Service Hydrologists (SHs)
Data Acquisition Program Managers (DAPMs)
Science and Operations Officers (SOOs)
Warning Coordination Meteorologists (WCMs)
Meteorologists-in-Charge (MICs)

National Centers (NCEP/Water Center/NTWC/PTWC)
Supervisor's Discretion*

Regions
ROC Employees
Supervisor's Discretion*

National HQs NWSOC Employees
Supervisor's Discretion*

*Any 1301, 1315, 1316, 1340, or 1341 employee that supervisors deem are operational and provide IDSS.

Training Optional for:
Electronics Technicians (ETs)
Administration Systems Assistants (ASAs)
Electronics Systems Analysts (ESAs)
Information Technology Officers (ITOs)

Note: These PCUs were released in September 2017 and are available via the Commerce Learning Center.

PCUs 4 - 7

The next four areas of professional competency have been identified as essential for proficiency in the delivery of on-site IDSS. These PCUs are optional - only employees wishing to attain Deployment-Ready qualification will complete these units.

Note: These PCUs were released in December 1, 2017 and are available via the Commerce Learning Center.

Deployment-Ready Requirements

Those wishing to become Deployment-Ready will complete PCUs 1 - 7 and the Deployment-Ready Task Book. Once these items are completed, the supervisor can qualify the employee as Deployment-Ready. Participants wishing to attend the IDSS Deployment Boot Camp will be added to the priority list after they complete PCUs 1-6.