The Effectiveness of NWS Personnel Integration into Emergency Operations Centers during Hurricane Michael

The National Weather Service office in Tallahassee developed a trained team of meteorologists capable of deploying to incidents and integrating into the Incident Command System (ICS) found in Emergency Operations Center (EOC) operations. This team was developed to foster relationships with partnering agencies, and to help improve emergency weather planning, mitigation, and response. Members of this team are subject to advanced training in communication and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) ICS. Hurricane Michael was the first test of usefulness of this team and the whole office concept that NWS Tallahassee embodies to ensure the success of deployed meteorologists.

Three meteorologists were deployed to EOC’s in Bay and Leon County, Florida, as well as at Florida State University prior to the onset of impacts from Hurricane Michael. Given rapid intensification that occurred in the 24 to 36 hours leading up to landfall, having meteorologists integrated into ICS operations during this timeframe proved to be a valuable resource for these agencies during the preparation phase of this event. NWS Tallahassee’s operating model of open communication between deployed meteorologists and NWS operations allowed for a more personalized and unified message for EOC personnel in these specific locales. This aided the challenge of messaging an unprecedented event, particularly as Michael reached major hurricane status on the night of October 9. The NWS presence at each EOC remained vital during the recovery phase, as the timing of the cessation of tropical storm conditions was of utmost importance in timing initial emergency response. Given the severely damaged infrastructure post event across the Florida Panhandle, weather information remained important for emergency responders on the ground, as well as for public rumor control. This presentation will detail the work done by deployed meteorologists, how the NWS office supported this effort, and discuss the influence this work had on the decision makers in the ICS at each EOC.