[KYHAM] KEN TRAINING for September 15: Annex C - WARNING!

[Ron Dodson]

This week we are examining ANNEX C, discussing WARNING from
a county Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).

Many times disasters come without WARNING.  However, as any
amateur radio operator involved in SKYWARN operations will tell
you,
WARNING is the key to survival in a severe 
storm and many other incidents.

ANNEX C: WARNING addresses this concern.  Any county within
Kentucky is subject to disasters such as 
tornadoes, flash flooding, high water,
droughts, fires, hazardous materials spills, mud/rock slides, and
the possibility of attack by weapons of mass destruction.  I
qoute
from Situations and Assumptions from a typical EOP,
" A warning period will be available for most emergency
situations, although the amount of lead time 
will vary from hazard to hazard. 
Proper use of this warning period will save lives, reduce
injuries, and protect property."  
Thus it is the MISSION of ANNEX C, "to disseminate
information to government officials and ultimately to the public
a prediction or occurrence of natural, man-made technological,
conventional or nuclear war incidents which could result in loss
of life, hardship, suffering or extensive property damage."

Section IV. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS states:

A. _______ is the primary Warning Point for the 
county and will provide factual and rapid 
alerting to key officials and local governments
within the county of an impending disaster which 
could result in possible loss of life, 
extreme hardship and suffering or extensive property
damage.

B.  The National Weather Service will transmit severe weather
"watches" and "warnings" over the weather teletype 
circuit to subscribers within the state. 

They will also broadcast these "watches" and "warnings" over
the NOAA Weather Radio system in the area affected by the
"watches" and "warnings". The weather service alerts 
the State EOC and Kentucky State Police of these 
watches and warnings by National Alert Warning System
(NAWAS) or telephone for further transmittal to the counties. 
The NOAA weather stations for the county is located 
at ______ and has a frequency of ______ MHz.

C.	Local personnel who have been trained in severe weather
monitoring who detect severe weather will report it directly 
to the nearest weather service office.  Otherwise severe 
weather may be reported to the nearest
law enforcement agency, local EM office, KyEM Area Manager
Office, State Police Post, or the State EOC.

D.	The NOAA Weather Radio may be used 
to disseminate alerts and warnings that are not 
weather related. When this situation develops, 
the State EOC is the primary contact point.  

All requests for broadcast of alert or warning 
messages which are not weather related must be
authenticated by the Division of Emergency Management.

E.	The Emergency Alert System (EAS) will be used to provide
"alerts" and "warnings" and emergency information to the general
population. 

KyEM will activate the Kentucky EAS from the State EOC anytime a
large area of the state could be or is affected by a disaster.  
Local warning plans must include procedures to contacting 
local EAS stations and procedures for authenticating 
emergency messages to be broadcast.

Info on local EAS broadcast stations and any outdoor warning
sirens etc. will be found here. 

General definitions of terms for severe weather will likely be
noted as follows:

1.	Severe Weather Watch - Atmospheric conditions indicate severe
weather is possible, but as yet has not occurred.

2.	Severe Weather Warning - Weather conditions have developed
with the potential to cause serious property 
damage and possible loss of life.  

A Flash Flood Warning means heavy rains/melting snow may cause
flooding and damage.

APPENDICES for ANNEX C will likely be:

		C-1	Organizational Chart
		
		C-2	A Severe Weather Warning SOP

a new Appendix  C-3    AMBER ALERT SYSTEM  is being added to
EOP's statewide.