PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
0400 PM EDT MON MAY 8 1995
TO FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER
WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ PRODUCT USERS...NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM DONALD R. WERNLY...CHIEF...WARNING AND FORECAST BRANCH
SUBJECT: COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS DISCOVERED AND REMEDIED BEFORE THE
KICKOFF OF EXERCISE RESPONSE 95
DURING THE PRE-STARTEX DAYS OF EXERCISE RESPONSE 95 SEVERAL
COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED. MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS
HAVE BEEN RESOLVED LOCALLY AND THE REMAINING PROBLEMS RE EXPECTED TO
BE RESOLVED BEFORE STARTEX AT 11 AM EDT TUESDAY MORNING. LISTED ARE
EXAMPLES OF THE TYPES OF PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED AND HOW THEY HAVE BEEN
RESOLVED.
1. LOCAL OFFICES THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON THE NWWS HAVE NOT HAD
THE FULL SUITE OF NATIONAL CENTER PRODUCTS...IN FACT THEIR
PRODUCT DIRECTORIES HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DEFICIENT.
LOCAL SITES EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM HAVE BEEN INFORMED AS
TO WHAT STEPS ARE NEEDED TO RESOLVE THEIR PROBLEM. FOR MOST
THIS WOULD REQUIRE CONTACT THEIR LOCAL CONTEL SERVICE AGENT.
EACH SUBSCRIBER HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH A 1-800 NUMBER.
2. ONE ASPECT OF THIS EXERCISE WAS TO TEST THE HURRICANE CENTER
BACKUP PLAN. UNDER THIS PLAN THE NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL
CENTER WOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION UNDER A SEPARATE AND
DIFFERENT AFOS PRODUCT IDENTIFIER. THE TWO PRODUCT
IDENTIFIERS ARE...MIATCPAT1 AND NFDTCPAT1. IF YOUR NWWS
PRODUCT DIRECTORY IS NOT PROGRAMMED FOR THE NFD AFOS
VERSION THEN YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE THE PUBLIC ADVISORY
PRODUCT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT TO ENSURE RECEIPT OF THE
PUBLIC HURRICANE ADVISORY THE CONTEL PRODUCT DIRECTORY MUST
BE ABLE TO CAPTURE BOTH PRODUCTS.
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WILL IN ALL LIKELIHOOD NOT BE ABLE TO
COMPLETE ALL OF THE REQUIRED PRODUCT DIRECTORY UPDATES WE
WILL DISCONTINUE THE TRANSMISSION OF THESE PRODUCTS UNDER
THE NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL CENTERS PRODUCT HEADER.
PRIOR TO STARTEX WE WILL SWITCH BACK TO THE MIA PRODUCT
HEADER.
DONALD R. WERNLY
CHIEF, WARNING AND FORECAST BRANCH
(301) 713-0090 EXT 113
END