Scott Reinacher

1
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
National Troopers Coalition

• Scott Reinacher
• Chairman, National Troopers Coalition

2
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Overview

• Background
• Organization
• Survey
• Requirements
• Impacts
• Summary/Comments

3
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Background

• Organization
• National Troopers Coalition
• Has 45,000 members
• Represents 48 state police and highway patrol
  associations in 45 states
• Survey
• Responses from 28 states
• Represents about 1 or 2 work sites per county
  nationwide
• Most states have fixed wing and helicopters

4
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Sources of Weather Information

• National Weather Service
• State Systems (e.g. MNDOT)
• Commercial (e.g. Dyn-corp)

5
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Receipt Method

• Satellite service
• Telephone and teletype
• Internet
• All rated current methods as sufficient

6
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Factors bearing on source and receipt of weather
data

• Info is posted and passed to troopers when
  hazards threaten operations
• Report/Relay real-time weather conditions
• Providing storm tracking on maps valued most
• Large areas and geographical differences require
  tailored info
• Staffing needs and disaster response dictate
  weather info use

7
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Precipitation

• Most prevalent hazard
• Impedes all operations
• Snow/ice and flooding most critical
• Any precipitation has an impact..intensity and
  amount exacerbate effects
• 0-3 hour forecast most important 3-24 needed for
  planning 1-7 day useful for scheduling

8
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Thunderstorms / Lightning

• Affects mobility and communications
• Rain, wind and hail most impact
• Visibility in storms also critical
• Lightning strikes affect personnel and
  communications
• 0-3 hour forecast most critical

9
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Temperatures

• Personnel comfort, vehicle readiness, resource
  constraints, and survival under extreme
  conditions
• 6-12 hour forecast important
• 12 hour to 7 day useful for planning and
  scheduling

10
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Visibility

• Fog and smoke reducing visibility to less than ¼
  mile is important
• Visibility in tens of feet has greatest impact on
  safety and operations
• Response time to emergencies increases
  substantially
• 1-3 hour forecast critical
• 3 hours to 7 days useful for planning

11
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Winds

• Speed and direction become more critical with
  precipitation type and amount
• If sand, smoke or snow are present then winds 10
  miles an hour have an impact and the stronger the
  wind the greater the impact
• 0-3 hour forecast most important
• 3 hour to 7 day forecasts useful for planning and
  scheduling

12
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Pollution

• Depends on toxicity
• Health and performance may be affected
• 1-2 day advisories useful

13
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Impacts

• Safety of public and troopers
• Scheduling/availability
• Readiness to respond
• Health and morale
• Cost/benefit to taxpayer
• Mission effectiveness

14
WEATHER INFORMATION NEEDS / REQUIREMENTS RESULTS
Summary

• Mission information
• Requirements
• Impacts
• Future
• Better lead times in wx advisories in support of
  disaster response, dives, searches, canine
  tracking operations, and motorcycle patrols