Organization Spotlight - Spring 2007

As part of the Federal agency focused on the condition of the oceans and the atmosphere (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency [NOAA]), the National Weather Service (NWS) is the sole U.S. official voice for issuing warnings during life-threatening weather situations. The mission of NWS is to provide weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, and adjacent waters and ocean areas for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy.

NWS/NOAA is engaged in a new initiative to increase the medical community and general public's understanding about the connection between weather and health. The NWS/NOAA effort is to assist the health sector’s ability to use forecast information to add/reduce staff, make critical decisions to evacuate critical patients before losing power, and improve preparation and response to weather events. The NWS Medical/Public Health Initiative is designed to support the health sector in the following ways:

As weather and climate changes continue to occur, an increasing number of medical and public health issues will emerge. Hospitals and clinics are currently operating at full capacity, and the need to treat victims of severe weather events place an increasing strain on an already overburdened medical system. For example, if you knew the chances your medical facility would experience wind speeds of 39 mph, 58 mph, or 74 mph over a given time interval, how would this impact your decision to add staff or evacuate patients before losing power? Or, if you knew 1 week prior to a heat wave, if patients in a given area would need emergency room care, how would  this improve your medical decisions to staff or order medical supplies? 

 

NWS/NOAA provides many public services to assist healthcare providers make informed decisions. These services and products are provided as a public service by NOAA’s local Weather Forecast Offices around the country (see http://www.nws.noaa.gov/organization.php). Warning Coordination Meteorologists (WCMs) also are available as a public service to assist the medical community interpret and understand forecast information (see http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/lwx/). Additionally, WCMs are available to answer questions from the public and give talks to local groups. 

 

Another great resource is NOAA Watch, a new addition to our Web site (http://www.noaawatch.gov/). From increased asthma, melanoma, heat/cold related illnesses, injuries, and the medical challenges posed by storms such as Hurricane Katrina, weather will continue to challenge the medical community’s capacity and response. NOAA’s forecast information greatly improves medical professionals’ preventive healthcare, emergency response, and general medical planning. 

 

For more information on NWS/NOAA’s health initiative, please contact:

 

Margaret Fowke, R.D., L.D., M.P.A., M.A.

Office of Strategic Planning and Policy

National Weather Service, W/SP

1325 East West Highway, Room 11413

Silver Spring, MD 20910