950510-ADMN81 (fwd)

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 950510-ADMN81 (fwd)
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Wed, 10 May 1995 10:41:44 -0600 (MDT)

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC

0400 PM EDT MON MAY 8 1995



TO        FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER

          WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL

          WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ PRODUCT USERS...NWS EMPLOYEES

 

FROM      DONALD R. WERNLY...CHIEF...WARNING AND FORECAST BRANCH

 

SUBJECT:  COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS DISCOVERED AND REMEDIED BEFORE THE

          KICKOFF OF EXERCISE RESPONSE 95



      DURING THE PRE-STARTEX DAYS OF EXERCISE RESPONSE 95 SEVERAL

COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED.  MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS

HAVE BEEN RESOLVED LOCALLY AND THE REMAINING PROBLEMS RE EXPECTED TO

BE RESOLVED BEFORE STARTEX AT 11 AM EDT TUESDAY MORNING.  LISTED ARE

EXAMPLES OF THE TYPES OF PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED AND HOW THEY HAVE BEEN

RESOLVED.



      1.    LOCAL OFFICES THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON THE NWWS HAVE NOT HAD

            THE FULL SUITE OF NATIONAL CENTER PRODUCTS...IN FACT THEIR

            PRODUCT DIRECTORIES HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DEFICIENT.



            LOCAL SITES EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM HAVE BEEN INFORMED AS

            TO WHAT STEPS ARE NEEDED TO RESOLVE THEIR PROBLEM.  FOR MOST

            THIS WOULD REQUIRE CONTACT THEIR LOCAL CONTEL SERVICE AGENT. 

            EACH SUBSCRIBER HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH A 1-800 NUMBER.



      2.    ONE ASPECT OF THIS EXERCISE WAS TO TEST THE HURRICANE CENTER

            BACKUP PLAN.  UNDER THIS PLAN THE NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL

            CENTER WOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION UNDER A SEPARATE AND

            DIFFERENT AFOS PRODUCT IDENTIFIER.  THE TWO PRODUCT

            IDENTIFIERS ARE...MIATCPAT1 AND NFDTCPAT1.  IF YOUR NWWS

            PRODUCT DIRECTORY IS NOT PROGRAMMED FOR THE NFD AFOS

            VERSION THEN YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE THE PUBLIC ADVISORY

            PRODUCT.  THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT TO ENSURE  RECEIPT OF THE

            PUBLIC HURRICANE ADVISORY THE CONTEL PRODUCT DIRECTORY MUST

            BE ABLE TO CAPTURE BOTH PRODUCTS.



            UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WILL IN ALL LIKELIHOOD NOT BE ABLE TO

            COMPLETE ALL OF THE REQUIRED PRODUCT DIRECTORY UPDATES WE

            WILL DISCONTINUE THE TRANSMISSION OF THESE PRODUCTS UNDER

            THE NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL CENTERS PRODUCT HEADER.



            PRIOR TO STARTEX WE WILL SWITCH BACK TO THE MIA PRODUCT

            HEADER.



DONALD R. WERNLY

CHIEF, WARNING AND FORECAST BRANCH

(301) 713-0090 EXT 113

END