712
NOUS41 KWBC 071518
PNSWSH
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
1130 AM EDT TUE APR 7 1998
ATTENTION: ALL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) OFFICES/FAMILY
OF SERVICES SUBSCRIBERS (FOS)/ NOAAPORT USERS/
NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE (NWWS) SUBSCRIBERS/
OTHER NWS PRODUCT USERS
FROM: DONALD R. WERNLY
CHIEF...CUSTOMER SERVICE CORE
SUBJECT: EXERCISE RESPONSE 98
DURING THE WEEK OF APRIL 20, 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE WILL PARTICIPATE IN A FULL-SCALE FEDERAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) SPONSORED EXERCISE DESIGNED TO ASSESS
ADEQUACY OF FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL PLANS, POLICIES, AND
PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO A SIMULATED HURRICANE LANDFALL EVENT
IN THE NORTHEAST US. EXERCISE RESPONSE 98 PROVIDES THE BASIS TO
EVALUATE THE PROCEDURES THAT SUPPORT THE FEDERAL RESPONSE PLAN
CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS AND REGIONAL SUPPLEMENTS TO THE PLAN, AND
THE INTEGRATION OF THOSE PROCEDURES WITH EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
PLANS DEVELOPED BY THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, MAINE,
MASSACHUSETTS, NEW HAMPSHIRE, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, NEW YORK,
AND THE CANADIAN ATLANTIC PROVINCES OF NOVA SCOTIA, NEW
BRUNSWICK, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, AND NEWFOUNDLAND.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL PLAY A SUPPORT ROLE TO THE
RESPONSE 98 PARTICIPANTS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF WEATHER
PRODUCTS NORMALLY PREPARED AND DELIVERED DURING NORMAL
OPERATIONS. DURING THE OPERATIONAL PERIODS OF THE EXERCISE,
MONDAY APRIL 20, NOON TO 5 PM EDT; TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY APRIL
21-22, 8 AM TO 5 PM EDT; AND THURSDAY APRIL 23, 8 AM TO NOON EDT.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES WILL BE ISSUING EXERCISE
MESSAGES IN SUPPORT OF EXERCISE RESPONSE 98.
EXERCISE MESSAGES WILL SIMULATE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE. MESSAGES CREATED
BY NWS OFFICES WILL BE DISSEMINATED THROUGH NORMAL NWS
DISTRIBUTION MODES. EACH AND EVERY MESSAGE ISSUED BY A NWS
OFFICE WILL BE IDENTIFIED AS AN EXERCISE MESSAGE AND WILL BEGIN
AND END WITH THE FOLLOWING NOTIFICATION STATEMENTS:
...THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS PART OF EXERCISE RESPONSE 98. IT
DOES NOT REFLECT EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS. SIMILAR HURRICANE
RELATED MESSAGES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH APRIL 23 IN SUPPORT OF
EXERCISE RESPONSE 98...
...THE PRECEDING MESSAGE IS PART OF EXERCISE RESPONSE 98 AND
IN NO WAY REFLECTS EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS...
SHOULD ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS THREATEN THE EXERCISE AREA
DURING THE CONDUCTING OF THE EXERCISE THE NWS WILL DISCONTINUE
DISTRIBUTION OF EXERCISE MESSAGES AND FOCUS EXCLUSIVELY ON ITS
FORECAST AND WARNING RESPONSIBILITIES.
NWS OFFICES PARTICIPATING IN EXERCISE RESPONSE 98 INCLUDE THE
FOLLOWING:
TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION CENTER
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NWS TECHNIQUES DEVELOPMENT LAB
ALBANY, NY FORECAST OFFICE GREY, ME FORECAST OFFICE
BINGHAMTON, NY FORECAST OFFICE BURLINGTON, VT FORECAST OFFICE
MT. HOLLY, NJ FORECAST OFFICE TAUNTON, MA, FORECAST OFFICE
MIDATLANTIC RIVER FORECAST CENTER NE RIVER FORECAST CENTER
UPTON, NY FORECAST OFFICE
NWS POINTS OF CONTACT FOR EXERCISE RESPONSE 98 ARE:
RAINER DOMBROWSKY, NWSH, OFFICE OF METEOROLOGY 301-713-0090 X116
HARVEY THURM, ERH, METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES DIVISION, 516-244-0124
END