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Severe Weather Hazards Subcommittee I . Severe Weather Hazards Subcommittee The Severe Weather Hazards Subcommittee is com- prised of 12 individuals representing a variety of emergency services organizations. The Subcommittee relies on effective cooperation and the efficient coordi- nation of available resources to promote its mission of reducing the threat of severe weather to life and prop- erty throughout Colorado. The further objectives of the Subcommittee are (1) to identify, simplify and standardize severe weather terminology, (2) to iden- tify and examine current severe weather technology and detennine its usefulness, (3) to identify and evaluate methods of disseminating severe weather in- fonnation, and (4) to improve public education con- cerning severe weather hazards and mitigation measures. Functional areas have been established by the Sub- committee to address the following four mitigation needs: c FnNMtvdi...lDetectio.. - the National Weather Service can prouide localized forecasting to a BJle- cif'k area within a 30 minute timl! BJlan. The NWS offers regular training classes for uoluntur spotters. C milk CnJrUJUlJlit!ati.on. - the dissemination of NWS weather stateml!ntB through the Colorado Crimi! Information Center (CCIC) connections to local jurisdidions is currently being discussed. c ]l.,1llJtj_ - a supplemental warning to public warnings is prouided by NOAA weather radio. The direct noti{kation from NWS to local gouern- ml!nts uia the CCIC link wiU expedite local re- BJlonse actions. Interjurlsdictional agl"eeml!nts that define procedures for notifying neighboring jurisdictions in the euent of seuere weather are currently under consideration. c Public Edueatin.. - public edurotion efforts s/wuld be directed at all age groups but particular emphasis s/wuld be placed. on training uideos and other resources for eleml!ntary sclwol students. Accommodating the BJlecial needs of ability-im- paired citizens in severe weather eml!rgency plan- ning is an important additional public responsi- biUty. The Severe Weather Hazards Subcommittee has iden- tified two mitigation projects to begin to address these mitigation needs. The first project involves conduct- ing a seminar for local elected officials and emergency managers on new technologies in severe weather fore- casting and emergency public notification. Project costs are very small and are limited to developing and printing training materials and handouts for seminar participants. The second project is more ambitious and involves re- vising the "Cithen8 Emm'/If!lWY Prepared_.... handbook to address additional hazards and printing additional copies for distribution to sixth grade stu- dents to share with their parents. Camera ready copy in completed and 300 copies distributed to'subcommit- tee members to secure additional funding. 41