North & Central Georgia Partners Workshop (IWT)

[ATL IWT logo]

North and Central Georgia (Atlanta) Integrated Warning Team / Partners Workshop

December 10, 2019

Georgia Tech Research Institute – Conference Center

What is an Integrated Warning Team (IWT)?

An IWT is an ad-hoc “team” of people/entities who are involved in the preparedness and response to high-impact weather event. An IWT Workshop is a meeting of IWT team members to discuss best practices, challenges, and ways to improve preparedness and response, and specifically to disseminate a unified message during severe/high-impact weather events.

Who is part of an IWT?

Each IWT group is unique to their specific area and needs, but an IWT primarily consists of the National Weather Service (NWS), Emergency Management (EM) (local, state, and federal) and broadcast media. The IWT also includes (though is not necessarily limited to) school/university officials, first responders, transportation officials (ground and air), healthcare officials/organizations, power companies, forestry and agricultural groups, the U.S. Geological Survey, amateur radio operators, officials with large event/outdoor venues, and private companies (especially those involved with weather, safety/security, and emergency management). Again, anyone involved in the preparedness and response to high impact weather.

One of the primary objectives of these workshops is to bring together these diverse groups of decision makers that depend on, and help relay, critical weather information. We also want to continue learning (and sharing) roles, responsibilities, and challenges that face our emergency managers, our TV, radio, and print media, and even our private sector partners.

Recap of IWT 2019

The focus of this year's workshop was to gain a better understanding of PUBLIC perception and response with respect to higher-impact weather events (i.e. severe weather/tornado outbreaks, winter storms, tropical cyclones, extreme heat/cold, etc.). As "messengers" of weather forecasts and information, the hope is that we can all learn ways to deliver critical weather information in a more clear, consistent and concise way for the general public to understand and properly respond to.

We also took a look at the upcoming 2019-20 winter season outlook and guest speaker, Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain, shared her perspective on severe weather risk and response from vulnerable populations, specifically those that live in manufactured/mobile home communities.

Agenda + Presentations (click links to open):

8:30 AM -- Welcome / Logistics

8:45 AM -- 2019 Year in Review (Keith Stellman – NWS Atlanta Meteorologist-In-Charge)

9:15 AM -- Interactive Session w/ audience (Dave Nadler / Jason Deese – NWS Atlanta)
âž¢ Main topic: Identifying strengths and weaknesses between IWT group & Public perception to weather/warning information

10:15 AM -- Interactive Session on Public Response to Weather Information (Jason Deese / Dave Nadler)
âž¢ Public survey results
âž¢ Discuss key take-aways most relevant to this IWT moving forward

11:15 AM -- Winter Outlook + Decision Support Tools & Resources (Adam Baker / Dave Nadler – NWS Atlanta)

12:00 PM -- Messaging Safety to Vulnerable Populations (Guest Speaker: Kim Klockow – Research Scientist & CIMMS/NSSL Societal Impacts Groups Team Lead)

12:45 PM -- Wrap-up discussion / Final Thoughts

1:00 PM -- Workshop Ended

Workshop Photos

Links to past North & Central Georgia IWT workshops

2015

2012

2011 (inaugural workshop)