-------- Original Message --------
049
NOUS41 KWBC 031759
PNSWSH
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
100 PM EST MON MAR 3 2008
TO: SUBSCRIBERS:
-FAMILY OF SERVICES
-NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
OTHER NWS PARTNERS...AND NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM: LARRY WENZEL
NWS NATIONAL HYDROLOGIC OUTREACH PROGRAM LEADER
SUBJECT: 2008 FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK
FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK... HOSTED BY THE NATIONAL
OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION/S /NOAA/ NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE... IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 17 TO 21 2008.
FLOOD SAFETY IS PROMOTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO RAISE
PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS OF FLOODING AND OF WAYS TO
PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY. EACH SPRING THERE IS A FOCUSED
EFFORT TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE THREATS POSED BY
FLOODS. ON AVERAGE FLOODS KILL NEARLY 100 PEOPLE AND ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES OF NEARLY 5.0 BILLION DOLLARS
ANNUALLY. NO STATE OR TERRITORY IS IMMUNE FROM THE DANGERS
OF FLOODING.
GARY CARTER...NOAA/S HYDROLOGY PROGRAM MANAGER STATED:
SOCIETY CONTINUES TO BUILD HOMES AND BUSINESSES IN THE
FLOOD PLAINS WHICH ARE VULNERABLE TO FLOODING. THIS
INCREASES THE NEED FOR MORE ACCURATE AND TIMELY
HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION INCLUDING FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD
WATCHES AND WARNINGS TO PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY.
MEETING THE HYDROLOGIC FORECAST AND WARNING INFORMATION
NEEDS OF AMERICA WILL ALWAYS BE THE NWS GOAL. WHETHER IT IS
FOR NAVIGATION...WATER SUPPLY...RECREATION...PUBLIC
SAFETY...POWER GENERATION...OR AGRICULTURE...NWS IS
COMMITTED TO IMPROVING ACCESS TO FLOOD INFORMATION SO THE
RIGHT DECISIONS ARE MADE AT THE RIGHT TIME...BY THE RIGHT
PEOPLE...TO MOVE PEOPLE OUT OF HARM/S WAY OR SAVE VALUABLE
RESOURCES.
AS PART OF NOAA/S MISSION TO SERVE THE INCREASING NEEDS FOR
WEATHER AND WATER INFORMATION...NWS...UNDER THE AUSPICES OF
THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE...CONTINUES TO
IMPROVE FLOOD FORECASTS AND WARNINGS. GLENN AUSTIN...NWS
CHIEF OF THE HYDROLOGIC SERVICES DIVISION... STATED:
TO ENHANCE THE COMMUNICATION OF FLOOD RISK AND BUILD MORE
RESILIENT COMMUNITIES...NOAA/S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
AND NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE COASTAL SERVICES CENTER HAVE
PARTNERED TO PROVIDE THE FIRST SERIES OF FLOOD INUNDATION
MAPS. THESE INUNDATION MAPS DEPICT THE SPATIAL EXTENT AND
DEPTH OF FLOOD WATERS IN THE VICINITY OF NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE RIVER FORECAST LOCATIONS. USERS ARE ABLE TO
DISPLAY FLOOD INUNDATION MAPS FOR FORECAST RIVER LEVELS
RANGING FROM MINOR FLOODING THROUGH THE LARGEST OBSERVED
FLOOD ON RECORD. COMMUNITY LEADERS AND CITIZENS WILL BE
ABLE TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT
FLOOD BY RELATING CURRENT AND FORECAST RIVER HEIGHTS TO
THESE INUNDATION MAPS.
EXTENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT FLOODING AND FLOOD SAFETY...
INCLUDING EDUCATION MATERIALS...VIDEOS...BROCHURES...AND
NEWS ARTICLES CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE
LETTERS/:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/FLOODSAFETY/
TOPICS COVERED ON THIS WEB PAGE INCLUDE:
ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE.
THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE /AHPS/ IS THE
HEART OF THE NWS HYDROLOGY PROGRAM COVERING EVERYTHING FROM
FLOODS TO DROUGHTS. AHPS EXTENDS THE RANGE AND QUANTIFIES
THE CERTAINTY OF NWS RIVER FORECASTS AND PROVIDES TIMELY...
USER FRIENDLY TEXT AND GRAPHICAL PRODUCTS...INCLUDING FLOOD
MAPPING. THESE MAPS ALLOW A USER TO SEE THE EXTENT OF
FLOODING AT A GLANCE ON THE INTERNET.
TURN AROUND...DON/T DROWN.
PEOPLE OFTEN UNDERESTIMATE THE FORCE OF WATER. MORE THAN
HALF OF ALL FLOOD-RELATED DEATHS OCCUR WHEN VEHICLES...
INCLUDING TRUCKS AND SUVS...ARE SWEPT DOWNSTREAM. MANY OF
THESE DROWNINGS ARE PREVENTABLE SIMPLY BY NOT DRIVING OR
WALKING ONTO FLOODED ROADS. MOST VEHICLES LOSE CONTACT WITH
THE ROAD IN 6 INCHES OF WATER AND CAN BE SWEPT AWAY IN
18-24 INCHES OF WATER. NEW TURN AROUND DON/T DROWN WARNING
SIGNS...COMPLIANT WITH THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
REGULATIONS...CAN NOW BE DEPLOYED AT LOCATIONS WHERE THE
INCIDENCE OF FLOODING IS HIGH...THE ONSET OF FLOODING IS
RAPID...AND WHERE FLOODING OCCURS IN ISOLATED LOCATIONS.
REMEMBER... WHEN APPROACHING A FLOODED ROADWAY...MAKE THE
RIGHT CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DON/T DROWN.
FLOODS...DROUGHTS AND RELATED PHENOMENA.
FROM FLOODS TO DROUGHTS...HYDROLOGIC EXTREMES OFTEN PLAGUE
OUR VAST NATION. TROPICAL CYCLONE INLAND FLOODING...
SNOWMELT FLOODING...ICE JAMS...AND DEBRIS FLOWS ARE JUST
SOME OF THE FLOOD RELATED PHENOMENA POSING A THREAT TO
AMERICANS.
FLOOD RISK AND FLOOD INSURANCE.
FLOOD LOSSES ARE NOT TYPICALLY COVERED IN HOMEOWNER
INSURANCE POLICIES. HOWEVER FLOOD INSURANCE IS AVAILABLE TO
PROPERTY OWNERS IN COMMUNITIES TAKING PART IN THE FEDERAL
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY /FEMA/ NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE
PROGRAM. FEMA/S FLOODSMART CAMPAIGN PROMOTES THE IDEA THAT
EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD KNOW THEIR FLOOD RISK AND CHOOSE THE
APPROPRIATE FLOOD INSURANCE.
FLOOD SAFETY.
NWS...ALONG WITH GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS
...INFORMS COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ON HOW TO
BECOME AWARE OF FLOOD RISKS AND REACT PROPERLY WHEN A FLOOD
THREATENS. KNOWING WHAT TO DO BEFORE...DURING AND AFTER A
FLOOD CAN SAVE LIVES AND REDUCE INJURIES AND PROPERTY
DAMAGE.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...PLEASE CONTACT:
EMAIL: LARRY.WENZEL@xxxxxxxx
NATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE ONLINE AT
/USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
$$