NWS Completes Human Capital Strategic Plan

Employee teams led by the members of NOAA's NWS Corporate Board's Workforce and Human Capital Committee (WHCC) completed a Human Capital Strategic Plan to guide workforce planning for 2006-2010. Brig. Gen. D.L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), NWS Director, signed off on the plan last week and it is posted at http://weather.gov/employee_orientation/strategic_plans.htm.

"Our people are our most important asset, and every page of this document is focused on preserving this asset," said Johnson.

The content of the plan also supports the NOAA Strategic Plan, "New Priorities for the 21st Century" the associated NWS Strategic Plan, "Working Together to Save Lives" and the NOAA Strategic Human Capital Management Plan, said Dean Gulezian, Eastern Region Director and WHCC Chair.

"The teams developed plans for five human capital goals," said Gulezian. The document identifies outcomes, objectives, and measures of success for each of the following goals:

• Recruitment and Retention: Attract and retain a workforce with the competence, creativity, commitment, diversity, and innovation essential to accomplish the NWS mission.
• Employee Development: Maintain a world-class workforce in a changing world by aligning the competencies of our workforce with changing mission needs, technology, and science, and instilling our core values in our employees.
• Career Path/Advancement: Help all employees advance to the highest and most satisfying position they can achieve.
• Quality of Life: Organize the work we do, the way we do it, and the places where we work, to support our mission and contribute to the overall quality of life of our employees.
• Awards and Recognition: Use pay systems, performance appraisals, awards, and other forms of recognition to contribute to mission performance and employee morale.

"Advances in numerical modeling, science, and technology; and the continued integration of environmental sciences and services, are likely to impact the way the weather service operates over the life of this plan," said Johnson.

"We will evolve this plan to accommodate these and other forces for change while holding true to our human capital goals," said Gulezian.

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CWSU Training Package Released

A new training package aimed at bolstering NWS support of the National Airspace System (NAS) was released May 31, 2005.

The training targets meteorologists working at the NWS's 21 Center Weather Service Units (CWSUs). However meteorologists at the Aviation Weather Center (AWC), the Alaska Aviation Weather Unit, and Weather Forecast Offices will also find the new training applicable to their daily forecasts of aviation weather, according to Kevin Johnston, Director, NWS Aviation Services Branch.

Aviation weather services, including those provided by CWSU forecasters, help NOAA meet one of its core mission goals - supporting the Nation's commerce with information for safe and efficient transportation.

In a recent issue of NWS Focus, Brig. Gen. D.L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), NWS Director wrote that "Weather is the largest uncontrolled element in the National Airspace System (NAS) and causes the greatest number of delays." As a result, NWS meteorologist must provide targeted tactical and strategic weather information to our FAA partners in order to affect the safest and most efficient flow of air traffic at any given time and place.

The training package tasks the student to complete a computer-based learning (CBL) module, titled The Impact of Weather on Air Traffic and also to construct a CWSU-specific weather playbook. The training is online at http://meted.ucar.edu/nas/index.htm or can be accessed through the NWS Learning Management System at http://e-learning.doc.gov/. The weather playbook is complimentary to the module and specific to the CWSUs. CWSU meteorologists work through a series of job sheets that ask for specific information about their local ATO facilities and associated weather sensitivities.

The CWSU training package includes a facilitator's homepage (http://weather.gov/os/aviation/cwsu/index.shtml) that provides a 15-minute presentation discussing the CBL and construction of the Weather Impact Playbook. This will enable CWSU Meteorologists-In-Charge and Science and Operations Officers (SOOs) at other facilities to quickly evaluate the training and incorporate it into their Office Training Plans.

The training package was developed at the request of the NWS Director. Science and Operations Officer Daniel K. Cobb Jr., WFO-Caribou, ME; and Victoria Johnson, Instructional Design Lead, COMET, led the development of the training package with a team of NWS meteorologists, FAA air traffic controllers, and staff from the COMET Program. Team members included: Kate Schlachter, Doug Boyette, Barry Nielsen, Jeff Tongue, Chris Strager, Kristine Nelson, Arden Berge, Warren Rodie, Mike Lambert, Tom Dulong, Tim Helms, and Chip West. Additional members of the COMET staff produced Flash content, graphics, Web pages, and quality controlled the entire training package.

Johnston and Jack May, Director, AWC, provided additional developmental support and guidance.

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NWS Group Hustles to Get Radar Back On Line Before Severe Weather Strikes

By Pat Slattery
NWS Central Region Public Affairs Officer

A group of managers and technicians from Weather Forecast Office Minneapolis, MN; the Radar Operations Center in Norman, OK; and Central Region Headquarters in Kansas City, MO; worked like a well-rehearsed team over two days in mid-June to help protect Midwesterners from the perils of severe weather.

The 10-person group coalesced into an impromptu team of experts to make needed repairs on the Minneapolis WSR-88D in time to make the radar operational for the weather forecast staff as severe weather bore down on the area. Severe weather was expected by around midday the following day, so time was of the essence in diagnosing and fixing the problem.

The episode started around 6 a.m., Central Daylight Savings Time (CDT), June 10, 2005, when Minneapolis Hydrometeorological Technician (HMT) Ross Carlyon noticed an unusual amount of drive noise coming from the office's radome. Carlyon notified Regional Maintenance Specialist (RMS) Gerald Deiotte of the noise and the system was shut down to conduct an initial check. Minneapolis Electronics Systems Analyst (ESA) Bruce Aslesen and Electronics Technician (ET) Rex Bernhart soon arrived to help with the equipment check.

Around 9 a.m. CDT, the Minneapolis crew contacted Terrel Ballard at the Radar Operations Center (ROC), who advised them to inspect the pedestal azimuth drive assembly. That inspection revealed a damaged bearing and bearing raceway in the azimuth gear box. Advised of the damage, Ballard initiated requisition of a new azimuth drive gear box and dispatched ROC ETs Matt Lynch and Mike Shattock to the Minneapolis radar site in the suburb of Chanhassen.

At about the same time, Deiotte contacted his Central Region HQ supervisor Valeria "Vi" Capell and Regional Equipment Specialist Bob Brashears and briefed them on the status of the radar. Capell and Brashears met with Central Region Senior Staff to brief them on the situation. Ensured of CRH support to get the radar back on line and available for the MPX forecast staff, the group on site began the lengthy prep work of mounting hoists on the pedestal, draining oil from the azimuth gearbox assembly and setting rails for the hatch access and securing the opening to lift the gearbox into the radome.

The new gearbox arrived on site at about 3 p.m. CDT, June 10 with Shattuck and Lynch arriving at about 9 p.m. CDT, to be met by Aslesen, Bernhart and Deiotte. The group worked through the nighttime hours and successfully changed out the gearbox and other needed parts. By about 5 a.m. CDT, Saturday, June 11, the gearbox had been filled with oil and the system returned to service.

The Minneapolis forecast staff used the resurrected radar to issue warnings for five supercell tornadoes that touched down in the office's eastern portion of the County Warning and Forecast Area in western Wisconsin. Four tornadoes touched down in St. Croix County and one occurred in Barron County.

"None of the people involved were going to accept the prospect of severe weather moving through the area with no radar available for the Minneapolis forecasters," said Acting Central Region Director Gary Foltz. "All the people involved had to make a lot of quick decisions and quick arrangements to get the 88D back on line. The radar had to be repaired and all of those involved deserve credit for making it happen."

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University Assignment Program Opportunities Available, But Act Fast!

The NWS recently began searching for applicants to the 2006 University Assignment Program (UAP), which offers opportunities for both full-time and part-time training assignments in job- or career-related study at accredited educational facilities.

Scientific and technological advances require NWS employees (meteorologists, hydrologists, computer specialists, and other professionals) to keep up with current advances in climate, hydrology, mesoscale meteorology, marine weather, oceanography, advanced numerical prediction, information technology, and other job-related disciplines. In addition to these specialties, applicants should consider studies which encompass the planned use of new technology and which span or combine two career specialties, including hydrometeorological technicians taking coursework to convert to the meteorologist series.

The UAP also provides opportunities for employees to broaden communication, interpersonal, leadership, and managerial skills. The overall focus of the program is developing knowledge and skills needed in current and future positions.

Employees selected for university training assignments remain in their current positions while in training status.

Due to current budget planning for FY 2006, applicants are requested to act QUICKLY in preparing and submitting applications. To apply for this program or for more information, contact your supervisor. Applications are due to your region or office by July 1, 2005.

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Eastern Region Begins Quarterly Safety Newsletter

Check out the new quarterly safety newsletter in Eastern Region, called Safety Talk and Tips (STAT), produced by the Eastern Region Environmental, Safety and Health Advisory Board. The Board came up with the newsletter to highlight and increase awareness of environmental and safety issues in the Eastern Region. The newsletter focuses on just a few topics in an easy-to-read format. The premier issue discusses safe driving and lock out/tag out practices.

"Congratulations to Eastern Region," said Brig. Gen. D.L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), NWS Director. "We emphasize safety in all we do, and I'm glad to see this effort to share good practices."

The first issue of the newsletter is available here:
ftp://ftp.werh.noaa.gov/share/Safety_Newsletters/statmay05.pdf.

"Many thanks to all of the members of the Advisory Board for their contributions to the newsletter, and particularly to Craig Hunter and those at the OHRFC who designed much of the newsletter," said Dean Gulezian, Director, Eastern Region Headquarters.

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The Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU), in Leesburg, VA, was awarded a "NOAA Unit Citation" for its outstanding Hurricane Isabel support to the Air Route Traffic Control Center in Washington, DC. Federal Aviation Administration's officials used the timely and accurate weather information provided by the CWSU to make critical decisions of when to close and re-open the air space in the Washington, DC, area.

From left: Ronald Gilliland, Forecaster, CWSU Leesburg; Mickey Brown, Deputy Director, Eastern Region; Carl Ewald, Meteorologist-In-Charge, CWSU, Leesburg; Eloa Johnson, Forecaster, CWSU Leesburg; and Kerry Johnson, Acting Air Traffic Mmanager, Washington, Air Route Traffic Control Center, Federal Aviation Administration. Photo by John McCormick, FAA National Aerospace Implementation.

According to Air Traffic Manager Kenneth A. Myers and Traffic Management Officer Mike Klinker of Washington's Air Route Traffic Control Center, the airspace around Washington would have been closed to traffic longer than necessary if the CWSU staff hadn't provided timely and accurate information. Myers and Klinker said they really appreciated the CWSU staff volunteering to go to 24-hour operations.

Hurricane Isabel moved directly over the Nation's capital and had a major effect on the aviation industry. The CWSU is normally staffed 16-hours per day, but during the event, the staff volunteered to work around the clock.

"The staff really exemplified service over self by getting to the office despite having to drive around major flooding and through Isabel's squalls. Their attention to customer service and our partners before, during and after Hurricane Isabel is worthy of this special recognition," said NWS Eastern Region Deputy Director Mickey Brown.

New Leadership on the NWS Diversity Management Council

The NWS Diversity Management Council has a new Chair and Vice-Chairperson.

Stephan Smith, Decision Assistance Branch Chief of the Meteorological Development Lab, and Elaine Wilbur, Central Region Equal Employment Opportunity Manager, have been elected as the Council's new Chair and Vice-Chairperson respectively.

"Both Steve and Elaine bring a wealth of knowledge to the table as we begin to implement the new direction for NOAA's NWS Diversity Management Council after the restructuring this spring," said Charly Wells, Director of the NWS Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management (OEODM). "The Diversity Council is an integral part of the initiatives underway to set the course for Diversity Management within the Weather Service, and I look forward to working with the new officers and the council members to achieve our diversity management goals."

NWS's Diversity Management Council's purpose is to assist managers in creating an environment for employees that is inclusive and conducive to the recognition, development, promotion, understanding, and utilization of abilities, skills, and knowledge. Its goal is to build an environment that respects the individual and offers opportunities for all employees to develop to their full potential.

"Each employee has an active role in implementing the NWS diversity management initiative. Management officials at all levels share responsibility and are accountable for achieving diversity management goals," said Smith. "If we are to embrace diversity management it must be integrated successfully into all facets of the organization's structure," noted Smith. A new NWS Diversity Management Strategic Plan, adopted in April 2005 is now posted on OEODM's web site http://weather.gov/diversity/Strategic_plan.htm for all to review.

For a list of upcoming diversity management briefings and recent events, and to find out who your diversity management field contact person is, click here.

Aware Abandons Snail Mail for E-Only Release

By Melody Magnus, Aware Editor

The first edition of Aware to be sent strictly via e-mail was released in early June. To reflect the change, Aware was redesigned to a one-column format that minimizes scrolling. We also added color to the newsletter but ensured the report would print well in black and white as well. With summer coming, this edition focuses on hurricanes and heat. Other topics include:

• Digital Services
• Dissemination News
• Lightning Safety
• Marine and Rip Current Action
• Outreach and Education
• Severe Weather Updates
• Statistics on 2004 Weather Fatalities, Injuries, and Damage
• TsunamiReady Action

Aware is intended to be a link between NOAA and the Emergency Management Community. Please pass the Aware link on to EM staff you work with and encourage them to subscribe to this free report. NOAA staff is also encouraged to subscribe to Aware. Just go to www.weather.gov/os/awarelist.shtml and fill out the two question form. Future announcements may not appear in Focus.

To download the spring edition, go to www.weather.gov/os/aware.pdf.

Also On the Web...
Expanded Air Quality Forecasts

Air quality forecasts have been enhanced and expanded to better serve more regions of the United States.
Forecast information for ground-level ozone that has been available for the northeastern United States will now include areas from just east of the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Hour-by-hour forecasts, through midnight the following day, are available online, providing information for the onset, severity and duration of poor air quality to more than 180 million people.

The forecasts, produced by the NWS and the Environmental Protection Agency, began in 2004.
Read the full NOAA news story here.