5/31/1988 - Laserfiche WebLink

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DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS The Indian River County Department of Emergency Management Services currently depends exclusively upon watches and warnings issued by the National Hurricane Center to trigger response decisions. The fact is that the Hurricane Center can't ensure that warnings will be issued early enough for necessary responses to be completed safely. Situations have occurred in this state when watches are not issued at all for a particular area when a hurricane suddenly changes course, and locations suddenly and unexpectedly find themselves in the midst of a warning. Computer software is available to help organizations make maximum use of weather information to display current and forecast storm locations and characteristics, graph- ically depict the uncertainty in the forecast location, graphically depict the uncertainty in the intensity forecast, as well as to provide tools to analyze and communicate threat information. ALTERNATIVES -•AND ANALYSIS Indian River County .has somewhat -of a unique situation in that a substantial part of the populatiois located on a barrier island. As a result, this county will need to begin certain responses even before timely warnings are issued. The information generated from �,.Iis software in graphic form will immediately be available in color to advise and present to decision makers as to response actions that need to occur. The price of the software in $395 from Hazards Management Group. A demonstration disk is available in the Emergency Management Office if individuals would like to review it. Funds are available in the capital outlay funds of the department budget since one $8,000.00 item will not need to be purchased since Cablevision purchased the headend equipment that was projected for purchase as part of the public notification system. RECOMMENDATION Comments made earlier were in no way critical of the National Weather Service or the National Hurricane Center. The fallibility. of watches and warnings stems from the inperfection in the current state-of-the-art of hurricane forecasting. Evacuation of the barrier island looms as a huge task should a hurricane make landfall on the east coast of this state within reasonable distance of this county. Any way that we can enhance our ability to protect the populace and protect property should be undertaken. Staff recommends the purchase of the computer software referenced above from existing capital funds in the Department of Emergency Management Services budget. The price of $395 is minimal in terms of possible benefit. Adequate computer hardware is available to accommodate the software requested for purchase. ON MOTION by Commissioner Eggert, SECONDED by Com- missioner Bird, the Board unanimously (4-0) approved the purchase of computer software as described above in the amount of $395 as requested by the Emergency Management Director. 22 Bou 1 +qGE 4?7 MAY 31198$