VA Fire Weather Operating Plan

Joint Responsibilities

Joint responsibilities include the following:

Meetings between the NWS offices and the natural resource agencies.

The NWS, as a Strategic Partner, is expected to maintain interaction with fire weather agencies on a yearly basis. This would include participation in fire weather related operations meeting with the interagency partners, since these meetings often include NWS operations. The fire weather focal point or MIC from the NWS Wakefield office will attend at least one of these statewide meetings annually.

Maintenance and Revision of the Annual Operating Plan.

The AOP should be revised each year by the end of January, with cooperation and participation from each NWS office and each natural resource agency. The NWS office will be custodian of the plan.

Agreements on Services Provided.

Agreements on services and standards are normally reached at statewide meetings, but may be achieved at by a series of local meetings or by other means such as telephone or e-mail. NWS offices and land mangers should be aware of the ripple effect an agreement might have on other NWS offices and their customers, particularly when service areas cross state lines.

Workplace Visits.

Natural resource agencies and the NWS collaborate on familiarization of personnel in each others fields of expertise, operations and equipment. Visits to offices and work centers, as well field job sites can meet part of these requirements.

Service Evaluation.

Services provided by the NWS, and delivery of observations and information from the natural resource agencies to the NWS in support of these services, shall be under constant evaluation by both parties.

Numbering and archiving of observation stations.

The GACC, when requested to do so by a natural resource agency, shall assign a station ID number for fire weather observation platforms.

The land management agency will provide the station name, location (county, latitude, and longitude), and elevation to the GACC meteorologist.

The GACC meteorologist will assign the number and assist the station owner in establishing a station catalog in WIMS.

The numbering convention uses a six digit number, starting with '18' for locations in Maryland. The following two digit number designates the county, and the counties are numbered from 01 in the northwest, to 99 in the southeast.

The GACC meteorologist is responsible for maintaining a database of RAWS stations in their area. This information can be provided to the NWS regional program manager upon request.

The master list for the NWS Wakefield CWA can be found in the appendix of this operating plan, which will be updated at least annually with any new or changed stations.

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