L0320 Hurricane Preparedness for Decision Makers Course – State Specific – Alabama/Mississippi/Florida
NOAA Disaster Response Center
7344 Zeigler Boulevard
Mobile, AL 36608
April 14-16, 2020
Course Description:
Hurricane Preparedness for Decision Makers – State Specific is a three day on-site course intended to provide state and local decision makers with an understanding of hurricane hazards and available resources/tools from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Local NWS Forecast Offices and FEMA to assist them in making timely decisions and other protective measures.
The course addresses hurricane forecasting with an emphasis on Hurricane Center forecast process, products and tools and the coordination with WFOs. A discussion on forecast uncertainty will be included. The course will include a description of the hazards associated with hurricanes, especially those specific to the Gulf Coast.
FEMA instructors will provide an overview of the latest Hurricane Evacuation Study (HES). The course includes an overview and demonstration of HURREVAC, and culminates in a hurricane decision-making table-top exercise.
Course Objectives:
- Gain knowledge of tropical cyclone hazards and operational forecasting challenges.
- Understand that NHC forecasts have significant uncertainties that must be considered in emergency management decision making.
- Develop a better understanding of NHC products and services and how to utilize them in decision making.
Target Audience:
Local emergency managers, planners and operations officers that have hurricane related decision-making responsibilities.
Prerequisite:
Completion of the online EMI Independent Study Course IS-0324.a “Community Hurricane Preparedness”: http://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp
Recommended:
Please be familiar with the new version of HURREVAC that is online. If you do not have an online account, you can register here: https://hvx-registration.hurrevac.com and select the register link. It would be ideal to complete the Introduction to HURREVAC module. Additional training is available on the HURREVAC Guides and Tutorials webpage.
Selection Criteria:
Students will be selected based on their jurisdiction and responsibilities. It is strongly encouraged that applicants serve coastal communities because much of the material if focused on storm surge and coastal evacuations. Students are expected to complete all course prerequisites, attend ALL sessions of the on-site course, and complete the final exam at the end of the course.
Student should make necessary arrangements to back up day-to-day duties while attending this course to ensure full participation. Those who do not attend all sessions will not receive an EMI course completion certificate.
Funding:
All funding will be the responsibility of the Student and/or their organization.
To Apply:
Prospective students should complete the following registration protocol and submit the following form and completion certificate by email to your State POC listed.
- Register for the course on the Alabama EMA Training Portal.
- Submit a completed FEMA Form 119-25-2, General Admissions Application (Short Form) with the student signature and signature of supervisor or sponsoring agency official along with a certificate of completion for IS-0324.a “Community Hurricane Preparedness” (attach to application).