National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

Where:

Amarillo Community College Polk Street Campus, Business and Industry Center.  Amarillo, Texas.  (DIRECTIONS)

What:

"Decision Support" is a broad topic that focuses on how the National Weather Service can support decision makers specifically during incidents or high impact events.  These"all hazard" events include everything from a weather related disaster (hurricane, blizzard, tornadoes etc.), to a chemical spill, or even a major public event.  "Decision Support" also ties very closely into the Incident Command System (ICS).  The National Weather Service would be considered "Technical Specialists" during an ICS related event.  The upcoming Symposium will further explain what "Decision Support" means and how we can fully realize its potential.

To help National Weather Service Offices:

• Build stronger relationships with the Decision Support Community
• Provide improved Decision Support products and services
• Develop a better understanding of roles in the Decision Support Community
• Lay the foundation for future Decision Support products and services 

Also, to help our partners/customers in the Decision Support Community:

• Discuss their needs during high impact events 
• Gain a better understanding of how the National Weather Service can be utilized for decision making
  • Learn what products and services the National Weather Service can provide
  • What we can provide now and in the future
• Learn the roles of other agencies and how they respond during high impact events

The target audience are those in the Decision Support community including (but not limited to):

Also, Amarillo Community College has authorized TCLEOSE and CEU (continuing education) credits for those who participate in this 2-day workshop.

Speakers and Topics:

David (Rusty) Billingsley - Science and Services Division Chief, Southern Region Headquarters, Fort Worth:  "Decision Support Services - A Vision"

William (Bill) Bunting - Meteorologist in Charge, WFO Fort Worth: "NWS Fort Worth Decision Support Services"

Mark Fox - Warning Coordination Meteorologist, WFO Fort Worth: "Current and Future NWS Products and Services"

David Solis - Regional Liaison Officer with Texas Department of Public Safety, "Incident Response and Decision Making from a Regional Perspective"

Kevin Starbuck - Potter/Randall County Emergency Management Coordinator, "Decision Making from the Emergency Managers Perspective"

Chief Marc Lusk - Amarillo Fire Department, "A Better Understanding of How Stress, Fear and Panic  Combine to  Erode Rational Thinking"

Brian LaMarre - Meteorologist in Charge, WFO Tampa Bay (Ruskin), "A Review of Decision Support Services in Support of the 2009 Super Bowl XLIII - an NWS Perspective"

John Brost - Forecaster, WFO Amarillo: "A Recap of the Mini-Meetings Held with WFO Amarillo Customers"