BILL MASSEY- HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER

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National Hurricane Center Hurricane Liaison
Team Federal Emergency Management Agency
National Hurricane Center, Miami, FL
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• DO WE HAVE A HURRICANE PROBLEM?
• Annual Average Atlantic Development
• 10 Named Storms
• 6 will become hurricanes
• U.S. Landfalling Storms
• 5 hurricanes every 3 years
• 2 will be major hurricanes

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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TSUNAMI COORDINATION MEETINGHONOLULU, HAWAII
MARCH 3, 2004
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• PROBLEM
• PROVIDING TIMELY, ACCURATE AND CONSISTANT
  OFFICIAL DATA TO THREATENED AREAS IN ORDER TO
  EVACUATE THREATENED POPULATIONS FROM THE THREAT
  OF LANDFALLING HURRICANES

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• PROBLEM
• PROVIDING TIMELY, ACCURATE AND CONSISTANT
  OFFICIAL DATA TO THREATENED AREAS IN ORDER TO
  EVACUATE THREATENED POPULATIONS FROM THE THREAT
  OF LANDFALLING HURRICANES

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• PROBLEM
• HAVING THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE TIMELY, ACCURATE
  AND OFFICIAL GRAPHICS, TEXT AND INFORMATION TO
  THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE OFFICIALS ALONG WITH THE
  ABILITY TO ASK QUESTIONS.

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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• PROBLEM
• PROVIDING THE THREATENED PUBLIC WITH A TIMELY,
  ACCURATE, CONSISTANT AND COORDINATED MESSAGE ON
  THE APPROACHING THREAT FROM RECOGNIZED OFFICIAL
  AUTHORITIES

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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• PROBLEM
• MULITPLE SOURCES OF DATA
• SEVERAL STATES AT RISK
• MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AT RISK
• MILLIONS OF PEOPLE INTERNET ACTIVE
• WEB SITE CAPABILITY ISSUES
• POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC
• DAMAGES AND MAJOR LOSS OF LIFE

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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• HURRICANE
• HURRICANE FORMS- YOU HAVE SEVERAL HOURS TO
  SEVERAL DAYS TO REACT AND RESPOND

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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• WHAT CAN YOU DO TO ENHANCE THE WARNING PROCESS?

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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• ONE SOLUTION
• A HURRICANE LIAISON TEAM

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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• WHAT IS THE HLT?
• HOW DOES IT WORK?
• HOW DOES IT ENHANCE THE HURRICANE WARNING PROCESS?

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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• Hurricane Liaison Team
• Initial idea arose in early 1990s
• Concept was successfully proven during the
  very active 1995 Hurricane Season (19 Named
  Storms)
• Formalized in 1996 by FEMA Director upon request
  of Governor of Florida and Director of National
  Hurricane Center

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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Hurricane Liaison Team

• Partnership between the NWS and FEMA
• Team of FEMA Hurricane Program Managers, DAEs and
  NWS Meteorologists respond to the Tropical
  Prediction Center

BILL MASSEY- HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER-FEMA
REGION IV
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• Provide an avenue for the rapid exchange of
  communication with the National Hurricane Center
• Provide information as a key decision tool for
  the saving of lives and property
• Augment rapid communications

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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• EARLY DAYS
• 386 COMPUTER
• PAINTBRUSH SOFTWARE
• TWO PHONE LINES
• BORROWED VIDEO-CONFERENCE EQUIPMENT
• FEMA REGIONAL PROGRAM MANAGERS

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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• HLT EQUIPMENT TODAY
• CROMA KEY SYSTEM
• TELE-ILLUSTRATOR
• TV QUALITY BROADCAST SYSTEM (GLOBECASTER)
• POLYCOM VIDEO CONFERENCING SYSTEM
• T-1 LINE
• 11 PHONE LINES W/PBX
• IN-HOUSE SATELLITE/RADAR SYSTEM (NAWIPS)
• 12 COMPUTER WORK STATIONS

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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Tele-Illustrator

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
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• HLT PRODUCTS
• VIDEO/AUDIO CONFERENCES
• HLT WEBSITE
• REAL MEDIA
• STORM SUMMARIES
• SPECIFIC REQUESTS FROM USERS
• 24 HOUR DIRECT ACCESS TO FORECASTERS

BILL MASSEY- REGION IV HURRICANE PROGRAM MANAGER
MARCH 3, 2004
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TSUNAMI COORDINATION MEETINGHONOLULU, HAWAII
HLT IN ACTION!
MARCH 3, 2004
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REAL MEDIA
REAL MEDIA EXAMPLE
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HLT Real Media Products Can Be found at
www.fema.gov and www.nhc.noaa.gov
MARCH 3, 2004
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Radar Images
Satellite Loops
Sample Broadcast Graphics
Storm Surge Loops
HURREVAC Graphics
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ISABEL SLOSH SIMULATION
MARCH 3, 2004
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HLT WEB SITE
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EVENT SPECIFIC DATA FROM THE HPC
MARCH 3, 2004
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EVENT SPECIFIC DATA FROM THE RIVER FORECAST CENTER
MARCH 3, 2004
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EVENT SPECIFIC DATA FROM THE STORM PREDICTION
CENTER
MARCH 3, 2004
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• RESULTS
• EARLY AND CONTINUAL WARNING TO
• RESPONSE OFFICIALS
• DECISION MAKERS
• THREATENED PUBLIC
• BENEFITS
• ABILITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OF EXPERTS
• FACILITATE COORDINATION BETWEEN STATES
• ONE TIMELY,CONSISTANT, OFFICIAL MESSAGE

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NINE YEARS OF HLT ACTIVATIONS- WHAT HAVE WE
LEARNED?

• BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS
• HAVE SECURED INTERNET SITE
• HAVE BACK-UP SYSTEMS IN PLACE
• USE OF MEDIA IS CRUCIAL- PROVIDE MEDIA WITH
  TIMELY AND ACCURATE INFORMATION
• PUBLIC AWARENESS IS CRUCIAL

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NINE YEARS OF HLT ACTIVATIONS- WHAT HAVE WE
LEARNED?

• MUST USE A BROAD SPECTRUM Of TECHNOLOGY
• MUST INTERFACE WITH ALL LEVELS OF CONNECTIVITY AT
  STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL
• MUST PRESENT INFORMATION TO THE USER IN A FORMAT
  THAT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND, EASY TO USE AND WILL
  ASSIST IN DECISION MAKING

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HLT BENEFITS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• ABILITY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY/QUESTION NHC
• ALLOWS NHC TO HEAR FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ON
  IMPACTS OF NHC DECISIONS
• SENSE OF TEAM EFFORT AND UNDERSTANDING OF EACH
  OTHERS ISSUES BECAUSE OF INTERCOMMUNICATIONS
• GIVES LOCAL OFFICIALS INSTANT CLOUT WITH MEDIA
  AND PUBLIC
• ALLOWS FORECAST OFFICIALS TO WORD WARNINGS TO
  HAVE MORE IMPACT ON PUBLIC REACTION

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WHEN AN EVENT IS IMMIMENT-HIGH LEVEL OFFICIALS
ARE INTERESTED!
MARCH 3, 2004
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For More Informationon the HLT

• Bill Massey or
• Brock Long
• Hurricane Program Manager
• FEMA Region IV Atlanta, GA
• 770-220-5430-Massey
• 770-220-5668-Long
• bill.massey_at_dhs.gov
• brock.long_at_dhs.gov