NWS and the Weather Enterprise Working Together for Collaborative Communications

To most effectively communicate lifesaving weather and water information, the "Weather Enterprise" must work together in consistent, mutually beneficial ways. The National Weather Service encourages organizations across the Enterprise to work collaboratively on safety messaging. Use of recent case studies and communication tools will be examined and how these best practices are helping build a Weather-Ready Nation. Social media, traditional media and out of the box thinking are all topics for discussion.

Recent extreme weather and increased vulnerability to weather related hazards increase the need for reaching target audiences so that action is taken. We will look at an example of a new video NWS released in July as part of the Turn Around Don't Drown campaign. The communications outreach over social media was fast and vast, but are we changing behavior? Are we reaching those people most in need of creative messaging? Could a forum for connecting new communications products result in expanded distribution and in turn increase safety from weather hazards? Should we engage with celebrities or other highly visible spokespersons? Is co-branding a way to increase the validity of the effort without diluting the message?We will examine questions like these and the 30 second PSA for Turn Around Don't Drown will be played in English and Spanish versions to stimulate discussion.