Role of Meteorological Officials in Hurricane Preparedness

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Role of Meteorological Officials in Hurricane
Preparedness
Horace H. P. Burton and Selvin DeC.
Burton Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and
Hydrology
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Meteorologists in Preparedness

• Education and knowledge of tropical cyclones an
  essential component in disaster preparedness
• Information must be distributed through the
  various channels to enhance awareness of the
  public to the potential threat
• Meteorologists should be involved in assuring
  that tropical cyclone information is accurate and
  also play a role in dissemination

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Meteorologists in Preparedness

• Meteorologists also have a crucial role to play
  in input into the design and implementation of
  tropical cyclone mitigation systems
• This role involves at least three areas of
  national tropical cyclone preparedness planning.

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Warnings

• Compilation and issue of warnings
• entails conversion of technical information into
  a proper format and in a meaningful language
• terminology should be well chosen and be
  conducive to evoking a rational human response

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Warnings

• Dissemination of Warning Information
• warnings should be disseminated without delay
• delays are more critical when the lead time for
  implementing preparedness measures in safety is
  limited

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Awareness and Public Education

• The capacity to respond effectively to natural
  disaster warnings is highly dependent on
• interpretation of the warning
• precisely what measures are necessary for the
  protection of life and property
• Understanding will largely be based on the
  awareness of the inherent danger presented

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Awareness and Public Education

• Essential to institute awareness programmes to
  educate the community about the hazards of
  natural disasters and to train disaster
  management officials to interpret warnings
• Meteorologists must make significant
  contributions in educating the community and
  officials

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Awareness and Public Education

• Education must include
• understanding content and terms in advisories
• techniques used in identifying and monitoring
  areas of potential development
• characteristic structure and behaviour of
  tropical cyclones
• methods and limitations of forecasting techniques

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Awareness and Public Education

• Meteorological services in the region are willing
  to undertake the necessary educational programmes
  for both the community and disaster officials
• Disaster managers and planners are encouraged to
  make uses of these opportunities

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Conclusion

• The benefits of advances achieved in the
  meteorological monitoring and forecasting will
  not result in a lessening of losses and damage
  unless there is a corresponding improvement in
  the warning-response infrastructure.
  Meteorologists, disaster managers and the
  community all have a vital role to play in
  achieving this objective