A public-service and educational-outreach program known as OK-FIRST at the University of Oklahoma began in the fall of 1996 as a pilot project. OK-FIRST sought to link results from the modernization of the National Weather Service (NWS) with local officials from the mostly rural areas of Oklahoma. The goal was to improve public safety in Oklahoma through implementation of a decision-support system. Initial support for a two-year “demonstration project” was provided by the U. S. Department of Commerce. The State of Oklahoma endorsed OK-FIRST by providing substantial funding support for a third year of OK-FIRST.
A positive environment existed in Oklahoma to create a program that benefited public safety. Yet, evidence suggested that local officials -- when confronted with making decisions that involved impending weather emergencies -- often were ill-equipped to respond with current and localized information.
It was apparent that information-based tools simply were not available at the community level. As a result, the lack of easy access to timely weather information would limit dividends from the NWS modernization. Relatively easy and cost-effective access to timely radar information from the national network of WSR-88Ds along with proper training in its acquisition and use were the key missing ingredients.
Unisys Weather Information Services -- an authorized vendor of NEXRAD data through its NIDS agreement with the NWS -- approached the Oklahoma Climatological Survey in May of 1995. Unisys presented an opportunity to “redistribute” NIDS data to public safety officials who were state and/or locally supported.
Today, 65 public safety officials are well versed in the availability and use of information from 15 NEXRAD units that provide surveillance of Oklahoma. More importantly, success stories continue to accumulate regarding the local application of timely NEXRAD information. The success of OK-FIRST resulted from partnerships at several levels. These partnerships included a federal-state relationship between OCS and the NWS and partnerships with local agencies. Yet, perhaps the most critical partnership was the public-private partnership with Unisys and their willingness to break new ground with its NIDS contract. We believe this partnership is truly a NIDS success story that will be demonstrated in the presentation