NTPAW Skills Awards

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• NTPAW Skills Awards
• Issues/Crisis Management

Iowa Blizzard 2007
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BlizzardConditions
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BlizzardConditions
Interstate Closures
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StrategiesDeployed
The Iowa National Guard transported and Iowa DOT
escorted a Marshalltown woman witha high-risk
pregnancy toDes Moines Blank Hospital.
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StrategiesDeployed

• 24-hour-a-day cell phone service to respond to
  public and media calls
  
• Issue news releases, in advance, during and after
  the storm
  
• Respond to E-mail from public and media
• Establish a special, dedicated Web presence for
  posting of road closure/condition updates (which
  became imperative when the 511 phone system
  became overloaded)
• Create a Web slide show of blizzard conditions

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MeasurableResults

• All communication goals/objectives were
  achieved.
  
• There were no more serious injuries or lives lost
  than on an average four-day period, under dry
  roadway conditions.
  
• A total of 1,440 media and public phone calls
  were answered by the DOTs public relations
  director. Many other calls and E-mails were
  handled by an information specialist assigned to
  assist with blizzard-related communications.
• A total of 212,704 unique visitors
• went to the DOTs Web site March 2, 2007.
• A total of 215,072 phone calls were received
  through the 511 system. The calls lasted a total
  of 486,778 minutes.

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MeasurableResults
22 issued
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Measurable Results

• Overwhelming public
• satisfaction, positive
• public comments and
• support for the DOT.

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Measurable Results - Extensive state, Midwest
regional and national media coverage.
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Roads Opened