Extra-tropical Surge and Inundation Social Science Resea

OMB Control No. 0648-0342

Expiration Date: 04/30/2015

Draft Interview Guide for WFOs, Emergency Managers, and Broadcast Meteorologists

Interview Scheduling Script:

• My name is XX. I am with Eastern Research Group (ERG), and I am calling to schedule an interview with you on behalf of NOAA’s National Weather Service.  I am hoping to schedule an interview with you to ask you some questions about a new hazardous weather warning product that the National Weather Service is looking to issue, starting in 2017, for extra-tropical storms with potential life-threatening surge. The interview would be 40 to 60 minutes long.  Do you have any availability over the next couple of weeks to schedule this interview? We will not release your name or information that could identify you as part of this interview process or in our subsequent reports to the National Weather Service.

Introduction for Interviews:

• Who we are and what we’re trying to do: The NWS is looking to issue a new product, a storm surge watch/warning, to communicate life-threatening storm surges. The goal is for the new product to be introduced for tropical systems in 2015 and for extra-tropical (ET) systems in 2017. The NWS is therefore seeking information on how ET storm surge dangers are currently communicated to communities (both in text and graphics) and where potential conflicts or concerns could arise should a new product be introduced.

• What will be done with this information: The NWS will use the information from these interviews to ensure the smooth implementation of the new storm surge watch/warning product for ET storms.

• Why we asked you to participate: The NWS wants to know, from your perspective, what potential misunderstandings or confusion now occur, from both a communications and forecasting perspective, when ET storms are threatening the coast. NWS also wants to know if the introduction of a new storm surge watch/warning product could alleviate present misunderstandings and confusion, as well as whether the implementation of this new product introduces any new barriers or challenges in your operations or communications with communities.

Interview Questions for WFOs

1. What is the regional experience and vulnerability with extra-tropical (ET) storm surge events and associated inundation and surge?

2. What terms do you, your partners, and the public use to talk about these threats?

3. How do you warn for coastal flooding hazards and what products do you issue?

4. How do you currently warn for ET storm surge hazards?

5. Do you have specific criteria and thresholds for issuing these products?

6. Have you encountered any public/partner confusion or other issues in using any of these products? If so, how have you addressed them?

7. Do any of these products that you currently use have the potential to overlap or be in conflict with a new ET storm surge watch/warning?

8. If the NWS replaces the current coastal flooding watch/warning system with a new ET storm surge watch/warning system, what do you see as the major issues?

9. What graphic images and what product formats should the NWS consider developing to best convey the timing, threat level, impacts, and call to action for ET storm surge events?

Interview Questions for Emergency Managers

1. What is the regional experience and vulnerability with extra-tropical (ET) storm surge events and associated inundation and surge? What terms do you use to talk about these threats?

2. How do you warn for coastal flooding hazards and what language and products do you use?

3. Have you encountered any public/partner confusion or other issues in talking about these events? If so, how have you addressed them?

4. Do any of these products that you currently use have the potential to overlap or be in conflict with a new ET storm surge watch/warning?

5. If the NWS replaces the current coastal flooding watch/warning system with a new ET storm surge watch/warning system, what do you see as the major issues in implementing such a system?

6. What graphic images and what product formats should the NWS consider developing to best convey the timing, threat level, impacts, and call to action for ET storm surge events?

Interview Questions for Broadcast Meteorologists

1. What is the regional experience and vulnerability with extra-tropical (ET) storm surge events and associated inundation and surge?

2. How do you talk about these threats to the public? What words do you use?

3. How do you convey coastal flooding hazards to the public? What graphic products/language do you use to talk about these hazards?

4. Have you encountered any public/partner confusion or other issues in talking about these events? If so, how have you addressed them?

5. If the NWS replaces the current coastal flooding watch/warning system with a new ET storm surge watch/warning system, what do you see as the major issues in implementing such a system?

6. What graphic images and what product formats should the NWS consider developing to best convey the timing, threat level, impacts, and call to action for ET storm surge events?

Draft Discussion Guide for Native Alaskan Village Leaders

• Who we are and what we’re trying to do: The National Weather Service predicts storm movements and impacts, and issues warnings and other information when storms are threatening the coast. The NWS is considering new ways to communicate life-threatening coastal flooding situations and wants input from villages about these new approaches.

• What will be done with this information: The NWS will use the information from this discussion group to enhance the way it forecasts and communicates life-threatening coastal flooding situations to Native Alaskan villages. We will not release participants’ names or information that could identify you as part of this discussion or in our subsequent reports.

• Why we asked you to participate: The NWS wants to know, from your perspective, what it needs to do to help villages prepare for and respond to severe coastal flooding situations.

Questions:

1. We would like to hear about your experiences with large tides that can cause dangerous coastal flooding. Have any events occurred recently? How was your village affected?

2. What terms does your village use when talking about these kinds of dangerous storms/flooding?

3. How do you learn about these kinds of events? [Probe both for lines of communication ( e.g., who do they communicate with) and for experience with different kinds of media, e.g., radio/NOAA radio, Internet, and cell phones]

4. Do you communicate directly with someone in the National Weather Service? How does this communication occur?

5. What kind of advance warning do you currently receive from the National Weather Service when there is a major storm with potentially dangerous flooding? Has your community received these warnings far enough in advance to take the necessary protective actions? [Probe for desired lead times for organizing protective responses]

6. What kinds of information [probe also for graphics] should the National Weather Service consider developing to best convey the timing, threats, and impacts of these kinds of events for your community?

7. What else could the National Weather Service do to help your villages prepare for these events?

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other suggestions for reducing this burden to Linda Girardi (703-841-0501; linda.girardi@erg.com).

Statement on confidentiality:

For interviews: Eastern Research Group will not release your name or information that could identify you as part of this interview process or in our subsequent reports to NWS.

For discussion groups: Eastern Research Group and NWS will not release your name or information that could identify you as part of this discussion or in our subsequent reports.

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Extra-Tropical Storm Surge Social Science Research – Interview and Discussion Group Questions 3