GSP Integrated Warning Team Workshop 2018

Agenda for this year's meeting.

• Emergency Management Decision-Making Panel Discussion (Moderated by Tony Sturey, NWS GSP)

  Jimmy Brissie, Emergency Management/Rescue Coordinator, Henderson County NC

  Todd Dillard, Director of Emergency Management, Jackson County NC

  Will Kehler, Emergency Services Director, McDowell County NC

  Jerry Vehaun, Emergency Services Director, Buncombe County NC

• Tornado Damage Assessment: Reconstructing the Wind Through Debris Tracking and Treefall Pattern Analysis

         Dr. Christopher Godfrey, Associate Professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, UNCA

• NWS Updates/Topics

  IDSS and Social Media at NWS GSP - Trisha Palmer, Lead Meteorologist

  Forecasting and Messaging Challenges Preceding a Major Snow Event - Jake Wimberley, Meteorologist

• Breakout Sessions

        Basics of Winter Weather Forecasting (Mountain View Room) - Danny Gant, Lead Meteorologist, NWS Morristown, TN

        Inland TC Impacts (Room 406) - Justin Lane, Lead Meteorologist, and Andrew Kimball, Meteorologist, NWS GSP

• Communicating Weather Warning Information: The Public’s Understanding of the Message

        Dr. Laura Myers, Director and Senior Research Scientist, Center for Advanced Public Safety, University of Alabama

• Multi School District Decision-Making Panel Discussion - (Moderated by Bill Martin, NWS GSP)

  Phillip Davie, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Support, Greenville County Schools

  Joseph Hough, Assistant Superintendent - Auxiliary Services and Programs, Buncombe County Schools

  Jeanne McGowan, Safety Officer, Asheville City Schools

  David Weldon, Director of Emergency Management, UNCA

• Landslides

        Rick Wooten, Senior Geologist for Geohazards and Engineering Geology, NCGS

        Pat Moore, Lead Meteorologist, NWS GSP

• NWS Collaboration Issues Panel Discussion - (Moderated by Jason Boyer, Chief Meteorologist, WLOS) 

        Representatives from surrounding NWS offices

When is the next IWT?

Tuesday, March 20, 2018 from 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM. 

Capacity has been reached for the 2018 IWT Meeting - Registration is closed.

If you have any questions, please contact Trisha Palmer at Trisha.Palmer@noaa.gov.

Where is the IWT?

The IWT will be held at the Sherrill Center (Building 18) with parking on the campus of UNC Asheville (Building P9).

Download Campus Map

Why have an IWT?

Post-event studies of high-impact weather events have shown that coordinated actions of an IWT play an important role in achieving a favorable public response.  Bringing NWS, EMs, and broadcast media together with other partners in the same room to discuss best practices and challenges not only lays the foundation for improved relationships between members of the IWT, but helps us to all understand how the public we serve responds to our services.

What was presented at past Integrated Warning Team meetings?

• Click here to view the 2016 Charlotte Integrated Warning Team page

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?

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.