PCU 3: Enhancing Marine Weather Impact Event Operations and Emergency Response Functions
Producer: Steven Pfaff (ER/WFO Wilmington, NC)
Description of Job Competency to be Achieved: Marine weather forecasters at coastal and Great Lakes Weather Forecast Offices and National Centers must be able to effectively communicate the impacts of hazardous weather phenomenon to the marine community. To accomplish this, forecasters will learn to recognize the implications imposed by critical forecasts, watches, warnings, and advisories on vessels and marine operators. The skills developed will allow forecasters to enhance marine weather services, especially during those events that can have a significant effect on marine areas; including an understanding of the roles the NWS will provide in direct support of both man-made (e.g., large hazardous oil spills) and natural (e.g., hurricanes) disasters. Other parameters forecasters will gain an understanding of include short and long fuse marine warnings, threats along the coast and waterways, and decision support services that are provided to our partners and the public.
Core Instructional Components (Core Instructional Components develop the most important skills needed by NWS marine forecasters and form a solid foundation of training.)
- IC from Skill 3.2 [Core for areas with sea ice hazards]: "Sea Ice and Products and Services of the National Ice Center" (COMET Module)
- IC from Skill 3.3 [Core for all]: "Shallow Water Waves" (COMET Module); related to PCU 2, Skill 3.1
- IC from skill 4.1 [Core for all]: "You Make the Call" SMW Case (requires LDAP login)
- IC from Skill 5.1 [Core for all]: Review appropriate NWS Directives in Section 10-3
- IC from Skill 7.6 [Core for all with potential ash issues]: "Volcanic Ash: Impacts to Aviation, Climate, Maritime Operations, and Society" (COMET Module)
- IC from Skill 8.1 [Core for all]: FEMA ICS-100 Course
- IC from Skill 8.1 [Core for all]: FEMA ICS-200 Course
- IC from Skills 8.1-8.4, 9.1, 10.1 [Core for all]: "Marine Weather Services Incident Response and Decision Support" (COMET Module)
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Ability 1. Maintain effective weather watch with focus on identifying hazards and issuing warnings/products
- Skill 1.1. Determine potential impacts of observed or imminent hazardous weather to provide timely, detailed short-fuse warning products
- IC [Core for all]: Training Needed: PNS # 13-ME49
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Ability 2. Compose and disseminate short-fused warnings and statements with adequate lead time
- Skill 2.1. Be very proactive as compared to dealing with the evolution of longer duration events
- IC: Review lessons learned from Baltimore Harbor Service Assessment
- IC: Review Case Study: Lake George, FL, May 2009 Boat Accident
- IC: Review Case Study: Indian River, FL, June 2009 Boat Accident
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Ability 3. Effectively communicate the impacts of various short-fuse marine hazards
- Skill 3.1. Communicate the impacts of sub-severe thunderstorms on maritime safety
- IC [Core for all]: Training Needed: PNS # 13-ME47
- Skill 3.2. Communicate the perils to marine operations created by freezing spray and sea ice
- IC [Core for areas with sea ice hazards]: "Sea Ice and Products and Services of the National Ice Center" (COMET Module)
- IC: "Arctic Meteorology and Oceanography" (COMET Module); related to PCU 2, Skills 1.5-1.7 and 2.7-2.8
- Skill 3.3. Communicate the fact that steep waves, especially those in areas where waves, currents, and bathymetry (bars) combine to create dangerous seas, can adversely impact boaters
- IC [Core for all]: "Shallow Water Waves" (COMET Module); related to PCU 2, Skill 3.1
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Ability 4. Implement best practices and adhere to user requirements when composing and disseminating Special Marine Warnings and Marine Weather Statements
- Skill 4.1. Utilize best practices, lessons learned from past events, and marine user requirements when issuing Special Marine Warnings and Marine Weather Statements
- IC [Core for all]: "You Make the Call" SMW Case (requires LDAP login)
- IC: Training Needed: PNS # 13-ME49
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Ability 5. Apply appropriate methodology to issue effective long-fuse marine watches/warnings based on established criteria
- Skill 5.1. Mitigate potential impacts on marine operations through the assessment and issuance of Storm, Gale, and other long-fuse watch/warning products with sufficient lead time
- IC [Core for all]: Review appropriate NWS Directives in Section 10-3
- IC: Review local Station Duty Manual or SOPs
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Ability 6. Effectively communicate the impacts of various long-fuse marine hazards
- Skill 6.1. Communicate how strong wind systems and effective fetch can significantly impact mariners
- IC [Core for all]: Training Needed: PNS # 13-ME49
- Skill 6.2. Communicate the impacts of counter current wind events, barrier jets, and locally channeled winds
- IC: "North Wall Effects on Winds and Waves" (COMET Module); related to PCU 2, Skill 2.6
- IC: "Coastally Trapped Wind Reversals" (COMET Module); related to PCU 2, Skill 1.4
- IC: "Low-Level Coastal Jets" (COMET Module); related to PCU 2, Skill 1.3
- Skill 6.3. Communicate knowledge of wind/wave impacts generated by tropical cyclones on marine operations, and engage in the necessary enhanced level of collaboration at the National Center, WFO, Emergency Management, and mariner levels
- IC [Core for all with tropical cyclone issues]: Training Needed: PNS # 13-ME49
- Skill 6.4. Communicate important information for marine operations planning regarding timing of dense sea fog onset, duration, and dissipation
- IC [Core for all]: Training Needed: PNS # 13-ME49
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Ability 7. Effectively communicate the impacts of various coastal zone marine hazards
- Skill 7.1. Communicate the potential hazards of sneaker/extreme waves, large surf, and dangerous shore break to people along the coast
- IC: "Sneaker Waves" recorded training presentation (see video from 2 minute mark through 1 hour and 1 minute mark)
- IC [Core for all]: Training Needed: PNS # 13-ME49
- Skill 7.2. Communicate the adverse navigation conditions created by coastal inundation events and blow-out tides near waterways, inlets/bars, and tidal creeks
- Skill 7.3. Understand the impacts created by rip current events to better communicate relevant safety information to the public, while demonstrating the ability to provide accurate information on the rip current threat
- Skill 7.4. Effectively warn and provide ample lead time for coastal/beach/sea interface hazards such as strong longshore currents, coastal flooding, ocean over-wash and erosion, high surf events
- IC [Core for all]: Training Needed: PNS # 13-ME49
- IC [Core for all]: Training Needed: PNS # 13-ME52
- Skill 7.5. Enhance the information provided and translation of impacts created by storm surge and coastal flooding to the public and decision makers through a variety of inundation forecast tools, monitoring equipment, and datum levels
- IC: "Understanding Map Projections, Datums, and Coordinate Systems" (NOAA Coastal Services Center Module)
- IC [Core for all]: TBD (training required to assist forecasters with understanding the relationship between storm surge modeling, datum, expected inundation and subsequent impacts)
- IC [Core for all]: TBD (training to highlight the needs of coastal community decision makers to effectively plan for and take action prior to storm surge events - training would include familiarity about clearance times, the effects of storm surge on vulnerable locations, and problems encountered during mass evacuation events)
- Skill 7.6. Identify and understand the wide array of hazards imposed by volcanic ash and satisfy NWS requirements by including information in marine products as appropriate
- IC [Core for all with potential ash issues]: "Volcanic Ash: Impacts to Aviation, Climate, Maritime Operations, and Society" (COMET Module)
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Ability 8. Provide effective support and fulfill NWS roles and responsibilities during incident response marine operations
- Skill 8.1. Effectively provide decision support within the Incident Command Structure (ICS) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
- Skill 8.2. Effectively aid marine decision support event operations by understanding the response community's needs and knowing the role other NOAA line offices and other federal agencies play during maritime incidents/disasters
- IC [Core for all]: "Marine Weather Services Incident Response and Decision Support" (COMET Module)
- IC [Core for all]: Lessons learned and best practices to be assembled from the Deepwater Horizon event and other NWS supported spills
- IC: "FY15 Warning Operations Course Crisis Communication and Social Media" (WDTB Curriculum)
- IC: Basic Briefing Training for Incident Support
- IC: Office of Response and Restoration Guide to Responder Tools
- IC: Office of Response and Restoration Self Study Resources
- IC: "Introduction to Observing Oil from Helicopters and Planes" (COMET Module)
- Skill 8.3. Enhance services provided to responding agencies during maritime incidents/disasters by understanding the impacts imposed on affected communities and the ecosystem
- IC [Core for all]: "Marine Weather Services Incident Response and Decision Support" (COMET Module)
- IC in development: "Marine HAZMAT Emergency Response" web-based training
- IC: Training Needed: PNS # 13-ME48
- Skill 8.4. Provide effective decision support to search and rescue operations through a better understanding of a responder's marine weather requirements and effects of hypothermia
- IC [Core for all]: "Marine Weather Services Incident Response and Decision Support" (COMET Module)
- IC in development: "Marine Search and Rescue Response" web-based training
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Ability 9. Provide support to partners during maritime exercises and drills
- Skill 9.1. Effectively provide marine weather decision support the USCG, emergency management, and other partners during large maritime exercises and drills
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Ability 10. Provide near-shore marine weather decision support services
- Skill 10.1. Provide specialized forecasts and decision support services for various near-shore hazards, including rip currents, sneaker waves, coastal flooding, inundation and blowout tides, tsunamis, and movement of harmful algae bloom
- IC [Core for all]: "Marine Weather Services Incident Response and Decision Support" (COMET Module)
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