Incorporating emergency management needs in the development of weather radar networks

Authors

  • Ellen J. Bass, PhD
  • Leigh Baumgart, MS
  • Brenda Philips, MBA
  • Kevin Kloesel, PhD
  • Kathleen Dougherty, MA
  • Havidan Rodriguez, PhD
  • Walter Diaz, PhD
  • William Donner, PhD
  • Jenniffer Santos, MS
  • Michael Zink, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2009.0086

Keywords:

weather radar, decision making, highresolution radar

Abstract

The Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) is developing networks of lowpower, low-cost radars that adaptively collect, process, and visualize high-resolution data in the lowest portion of the atmosphere. CASA researchers are working with emergency managers (EM) to ensure that the network concept is designed with EMs’ needs in mind. Interviews, surveys, analysis of product usage logs, and simulated scenarios are being used to solicit EM input. Results indicate the need for products for both high- and low-bandwidth end users, visualizations for velocity products that are more easily interpreted, and enhanced training. CASA researchers are developing interventions to address these needs.

Author Biographies

Ellen J. Bass, PhD

Systems and Information Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Leigh Baumgart, MS

Systems and Information Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Brenda Philips, MBA

Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere Engineering Research Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.

Kevin Kloesel, PhD

College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, Oklahoma University, Norman, Oklahoma.

Kathleen Dougherty, MA

College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, Oklahoma University, Norman, Oklahoma.

Havidan Rodriguez, PhD

Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware.

Walter Diaz, PhD

Center for Applied Social Research, Department of Social Sciences, University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, Mayagüez, PR.

William Donner, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Jenniffer Santos, MS

Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware.

Michael Zink, PhD

Department of Computer Science & Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere Engineering Research Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.

References

McLaughlin D, et al.: Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere. Annual Report Year 4,Volume I and II under NSF Cooperative Agreement no. EEC- 0313747. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts, March 2007.

Morris DA, Crawford KC, Kloesel KA, et al.: OK-FIRST: A meteorological information system for public safety. Bull Am Meteorol Soc. 2001; 82: 1911-1915.

Oklahoma Climatological Survey (OCS): OK-FIRST. Available at http://okfirst.mesonet.org/. Accessed May 1, 2008.

Wolfinbarger JM, Greenfield JR, Stanley TB, et al.: WeatherScope: Interactive software for visualizing Web-based meteorological data sets. Paper presented at 18th International Conference on Interactive Information Processing Systems for Meteorology, Oceanography, and Hydrology; American Meteorological Society; January 13-17, 2002; Orlando, FL.

Marks DE: Digital inequality and the implementation of new technologies: Problems with technological diffusion among Oklahoma emergency managers: Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Marriott Hotel, Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Philadelphia, PA. Available at http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p22069_index.html.

Donner W.: Decision making as community adaptation: A case study of emergency managers in Oklahoma. Disasters. 2008; 32(2): 292-302.

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA): Falling through the net: A survey of the “have-nots” in rural and urban America. Available at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/fallingthru.html. Accessed May 1, 2008.

Neuman WL: Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches, 6th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 2006.

National Weather Service Forecast Office, Norman OK: Monthly and annual tornado statistics for the state of Oklahoma (1950- 2008). Available at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/tornadodata/ok/monthlyannual.php. Accessed May 1, 2008.

Baumgart LA, Bass EJ, Philips B, et al.: Emergency management decision making during severe weather. Weather and Forecasting. 2008; 23(6): 1268-1279.

Baumgart LA, Bass EJ, Philips B, et al.: Emergency Management Decision-Making During Severe Weather. Paper presented at 50th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society; October 16-20, 2006; San Francisco, CA; 381-385.

Center for Severe Weather Research: Doppler on wheels. Available at http://aaron.ou.edu/dow/dow.htm. Accessed May 1, 2008.

Baumgart LA, Bass EJ: Presenting Information in Simulated Real-Time to Support Part-Task Weather Scenarios. Paper presented at 2006 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics; October 8-11, 2006; Taipei, Taiwan; 5209-5214.

Gao J, Brewster K, Wang Y, et al.: High-Resolution Three- Dimensional Wind Analysis of CASA IP-1 and WSR-88D Radar Data Using the ARPS 3DVAR. Paper presented at 12th Conference on IOAS-AOLS; American Meteorological Society; January 20-24, 2008; New Orleans, LA; 16.5.

Santos-Hernández J, Rodriguez H, Diaz W: Development, Vulnerability, and Disasters in the Coastal Regions of Puerto Rico: A Critical Demography Approach. In Rivera and Demond (eds.): Minority Resiliency and the Legacy of Disasters. In press.

Published

01/01/2009

How to Cite

Bass, PhD, E. J., L. Baumgart, MS, B. Philips, MBA, K. Kloesel, PhD, K. Dougherty, MA, H. Rodriguez, PhD, W. Diaz, PhD, W. Donner, PhD, J. Santos, MS, and M. Zink, PhD. “Incorporating Emergency Management Needs in the Development of Weather Radar Networks”. Journal of Emergency Management, vol. 7, no. 1, Jan. 2009, pp. 45-52, doi:10.5055/jem.2009.0086.