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-------- 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@xxxxxxxxNATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
$$
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