Weather Preparedness Training

I had the opportunity to provide on-site training at a couple of organizations recently. The first was Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (NLOM) located in Ashland, Nebraska. This organization oversees camping operations across several sites and two states. The forward-thinking directors were evaluating technology solutions to help keep them informed of severe weather, and ultimately improve camper safety.  They liked Weather Defender's ability to proactively alert users on a myriad of weather threats at multiple locatons, and have made the Alert Perimeter feature a key component of their overall Weather Safety strategy.

 

The second training session (pictured) was held at the Pottawattamie County EOC in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The team at Pott. County has done a superb job mapping out storm spotter positions and overcoming communications inefficiencies. Weather Defender will play a role in their Emergency Operations Center, as the operators communicate threat details to deployed storm spotters.

 

In a software development firm, it's easy to become disconnected from your customers, so I thoroughly enjoyed holding these training sessions and getting a chance to meet several of our clients face-to-face.

 

 

Best Regards,

Rory Groves

 

Founder & CEO

---

Also in this update:

New Layer: Fire Detections

The Fire Detections layer displays active fire detections for the last 7 days using remote-sensing satellite technology.

 

Different from the Wild Fires layer we introduced last week, which was only for large-incident fires, the Fire Detections layer is generated using MODIS satellite technology and incidents may range from controlled burns to uncontained wildfires.

Community Spotlight

Joseph White

Golden Valley, Minnesota

 

Username: joecasa

Silver Defender

 

Occupation: Owner, ThoseFunnyFatGuys, LLC

 

We sell comedy scripts and other material to radio stations to use during commuter drive time shows. 

The full Community Update is sent out every other week to all members of the Weather Defender Community. If you would like to join, click here to get started.

Free Activation on Weather Defender expires Tomorrow

Free Activation Sale!

Only 2 Days Left to Save $35
on new account activations

Discount offer expires tomorrow (4/24/09)

With, Weather Defender, its EASY to stay ahead of threatening weather:

1. Configure one or more Alert Perimeters for your home, office, or job site
    
2. Select the types of weather threats you want to monitor
    
3. Receive threat alerts instantly on your computer, e-mail or cell phone whenever your Perimeter is breached

Weather Defender can detect numerous types

of weather threats, including:

• Lightning
• Hail
• Heavy Rain
• High Winds
• Tornadoes
• Wild Fires
• Earthquakes
• ...and many others!

Spring has sprung

While the trees are still trying to bud here in the northern latitudes, the hot, dry summer climate is steadily invading the southern states.

The last few weeks have seen numerous Red Flag (Fire) warnings throughout Oklahama and Texas, along with a few dozen large wildfires.

It's another reminder that each new season brings its own weather challenges. In Spring and Summer it's tornadoes, flooding, and forest fires. In Fall and Winter it's wind storms, freezing rain, and blizzards. When it comes to weather safety, there is never a season for complacency.

But each season also brings its own weather joys. It's finally warm enough around here to start enjoying the weekends outside. I think I'll go for a bike ride tomorrow, weather permitting!

Best Regards,

Rory Groves

Founder & CEO

---

Also in this update:

New Layer: Wild Fires

The Wild Fires layer indicates large-incident forest and wild fires across the United States.

Incorporating data from NASA, the Interagency Fire Center, and USDA Forest Service, the Wild Fires layer depicts locations of large-incident fires on your map in Weather Defender.

Events new!

Rory Groves will be speaking and demonstrating Weather Defender at Pottawattamie County EOC.

Date:

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Time:

7:00pm - 9:00pm

Location:

Pottawattamie County EOC

Council Bluffs, Iowa

Event is free & open to the public, but please RSVP.

Community Spotlight

Tom Raiola

Brandford, Connecticut

Username: astrocom

Silver Defender

Occupation: Accounting Manager, Brewer Yacht Yards

Brewer Bruce & Johnson's Marina is located in Branford, CT. We are one of twenty two full service yacht yards on the east coast of Long Island Sound.

The full Community Update is sent out every other week to all members of the Weather Defender Community. If you would like to join, click here to get started.

Ground truth

"640K ought to be enough for anybody."
-- Bill Gates, 1981

The advances in weather technology over the past few decades is nothing short of miraculous. A Doppler Radar beam can not only detect individual droplets of rain, but can "see" which direction they are moving! This information can then be translated into rotational detection algorithms predicting where a tornado may be forming.

And Doppler Radar is 20 years old! Just imagine what we'll see 20 years from now.

While every generation of technology brings new promise and new capabilities, there is one element that will never become obsolete: the human element. What is being reported by real people experiencing the severe weather right now? Meteorologists call this "ground truth" and it is absolutely essential to the public warning process.

Someday, weather prediction technology may be perfected. But until then, we need human eyes and human minds observing, reporting, and contributing to every community's safety.

Regards,

Rory Groves

Founder & CEO

P.S. Those tornado-prediction algorithms I referred to are known as Tornado Vortex Signatures and may be plotted in Weather Defender using the "Storm Attributes" layer.

---

Also in this update:

Layer Insight

Storm Reports provide "ground truth" during severe weather outbreaks.

Local Storm Reports -- reported by trained storm spotters and disseminated by the National Weather Service -- provide verification for what is actually happening during severe weather outbreaks.

2009 Spotter Training

Weather Spotter training, conducted by the National Weather Service, is underway in most states.

If you have not participated before, or if its been a few years and you would like a refresher, Spotter Training classes are an excellent way to get free training and meet the weather service professionals in your community.

Check your local weather service office for training times and locations.

Community Spotlight

Ryan Westlie

Caldwell County, Kentucky

Username: rwestlie

Silver Defender, Level 2

Occupation: Lead Computer Technician, Caldwell County Board of Education

The employees of Caldwell County Schools are responsible for the education and welfare of the kids that attend our district. When severe weather breaks we have to be able to make timely decisions for their safety.

The full Community Update is sent out every other week to all members of the Weather Defender Community. If you would like to join, click here to get started.