NWS Hardship Transfer Consideration Policy Serving Needs

Several employees have participated since the NWS launched the Hardship Transfer Consideration Program in October 2002.

Of the five applicants accepted so far, four have been placed at their requested duty station, at NWS expense. The fifth applicant is on the Hardship Transfer Consideration List - a weekly list sent to all hiring officials throughout the NWS.

The program was developed by the NWS Workforce/Human Capital Committee to better serve the NWS workforce. The policy identifies criteria that make an employee eligible to apply for hardship transfer consideration. "Thus far, the program has enjoyed great success," said Dean Gulezian, Eastern Region Director and Committee Chair. "We are very pleased with the number of people taking advantage of this family-friendly employee program."

All NWS employees meeting the necessary criteria are encouraged to apply for hardship transfer consideration.

"Although we don't like to see our employees struggle with difficult family situations, we are proud to offer this program and encourage eligible employees to participate," said Gulezian. The Hardship Transfer Consider Policy is online at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/directives//090/pd09004a.pdf.

Forecast Office Named Energy Saver Showcase Facility

The energy-efficient Caribou, ME, Weather Forecast Office (WFO) has been designated as a 2003 Federal Energy Saver Showcase facility by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of the Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program.

A plaque notifying visitors they are entering a government building that uses energy and water wisely and saves taxpayer dollars will be sent to WFO Caribou in the next two months.

The project will also be summarized in the 2003 Federal Energy Saver Showcase booklet describing the projects completed this year.

"Our staff is very proud of our new facility. It's an outstanding example of teamwork by local, state, and federal officials," said Larry Gabric, Caribou's Meteorologist-In-Charge. "Caribou is probably viewed as the most advanced facility in the NWS's inventory of Weather Forecast Offices. It serves as a model in terms of design, building materials, energy efficiency, equipment, safety, security, and lightning protection."

Designed and built by the NWS's Caribou WFO Facility Team, Caribou has already been recognized as one of the first federal buildings to fully incorporate energy efficiency. Every aspect of the building's design, construction, and operation has been analyzed and optimized to minimize its impact on the environment.

See an article on last year's WFO Caribou's ribbon-cutting ceremony here.

Working Together to Save Lives:
19 Honored with Mark Trail Awards for Advancing NOAA Weather Radio

Nineteen Mark Trail/NOAA Weather Radio public service awards were presented during a Capitol Hill luncheon on June 17, 2003, in Washington, DC. The seventh annual Mark Trail Awards recognized individuals and groups that made contributions to expand and improve NOAA Weather Radio coverage, awareness, and radio receiver ownership across the Nation. Click here to read the full NOAA news release.

First Tampa Bay Day Brings Together NOAA Offices

Better regional coordination among NOAA offices in the Tampa Bay, FL, area began recently at a gathering of employees from NOAA components in west central Florida.

"Tampa Bay Day" held on May 30, 2003, at MacDill Air Force Base, home of NOAA's Aircraft Operations Center, included orientation talks, tours of NOAA aircraft, and opportunities for NOAA employees and leaders to meet in an informal social setting.

Speakers representing NWS, and NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, National Ocean Service, and Aircraft Operations Center presented overviews of their activities and cited areas where regional collaboration may improve personnel and fiscal effectiveness and enhance general NOAA visibility in the Tampa Bay area.

Dan Noah, Warning Coordination Meteorologist from Tampa Bay Area NWS Forecast Office, emphasized the various types of severe weather that threaten Florida on an almost daily basis. "Look at the number of people in Florida we lose to lightning strikes every year, as compared to hurricanes and tornadoes. And it's an everyday hazard during the summer," Noah said.

Tracy Dunn, Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Enforcement Division, National Marine Fisheries Service, spoke about his team's involvement in long-term investigations of fisheries violations, netting the large fines, and penalties we read about in the papers.

"Most people think of enforcement as catching them in the act on the water. Our main job is longer term, with much larger impacts if the work is done right," Dunn said.

Jim Jeansonne, National Ocean Service Damage Assessment Center, discussed the heavy commercial use of Tampa Bay and the numerous ways the ecosystem is impacted by this necessary commerce. Leslie Craig, from the National Marine Fisheries Service Restoration Center, highlighted the many partnerships that pay off daily in funding and staffing of sea grass plantings, beach cleanups, and other forms of ecosystem restoration. Buck Sutter, Deputy Regional Administrator for Southeast National Marine Fisheries Service, summarized the extensive National Marine Fisheries Service role in southeast waters, covering activities, partners, and constituents from commercial to recreational. Buck cited the usual weekend on the Florida coastal waters, "When at times you can almost walk across the Bay from boat to boat."

Tampa Bay Day resulted from a 2001 initiative, when NOAA's Administrator, Vice Admiral (ret.) Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., requested employee input on ways to improve NOAA. Seeking to establish a process for better linkage, coordination, and mutual understanding of the diverse NOAA elements in local geographic regions. The NOAA regional coordination program includes San Francisco Bay, Seattle/Tacoma, Ann-Arbor/Detroit, the Tampa Bay area, and Hawaii.

NOAA employees, their families, and invited guests were able to take a closer look at NOAA aircraft and boats, and to meet one another to share experiences at a picnic on the shores of Tampa Bay. It was a time for food, fun, families, and fellowship at the MacDill Marina. The day ended with a new understanding and appreciation of what "NOAA Tampa Bay" is all about, what our colleagues go through while serving NOAA, and a better understanding of who NOAA's constituents are, said Jack Parrish, Meteorologist, Aircraft Operations Center.

One NOAA employee who participated said, "I never thought by coming across the Bay today, I'd learn so much about what else is going on in my home office."

Captain Bob Maxson, Director, Aircraft Operations Center, may have said it best. "Look at all of the talent gathered together today," Maxson said. "Each office has so much to offer the others, from joint outreach events to combined training opportunities. It's just a matter of knowing who to coordinate with on the other end of the phone line."

WCM Honored as Federal Professional of the Year

Warning Coordination Meteorologist Brian Peters, WFO Birmingham, AL, was recently honored as the Birmingham Area Federal Professional of the Year. A committee of federal executives in the Birmingham metropolitan area reviewed dozens of entries. Peters' selection was a unanimous vote by the committee, recognizing his many years of dedication to saving lives and public awareness.

Lead Forecaster Swims to Records
By Roger Vachalek
Meteorologist, Anchorage, AK, Weather Forecast Office

When Senior Forecaster Joel Curtis isn't "free-styling" his way through the latest model data and D2D AWIPS display at work, you will probably find him either swimming laps indoors or searching for the big swells in the Gulf of Alaska near Yakutat.

Curtis, on staff at the Anchorage, AK, Weather Forecast Office, has a life-long passion for swimming. His skill in the water has recently landed him four Alaskan State Swimming Records for age group 50-54 in the 1000-, 500-, 200- and 100-yard freestyle events held May 15-18, 2003, at the National Master's Short Course Yards Championships in Tempe, AZ. His finish of 12:17.23 minutes in the 1000-yard freestyle event brought him 11th place in the National Championships this year.

For the past two years Curtis competed locally in Anchorage in the Master's competition there, but this is the first time he has competed at nationals. Placing 11th in the Nation for the 1000-yard competition was a real kick for Curtis. "I am very happy with my improvement, which was 24 seconds off my best previous Master's time in the 1000," Curtis said. That's an enormous improvement, according to Curtis, who began swimming at age seven, competed through high school, at the University of Virginia, and later swam Master's events from 1982-1984. After a two-decade layoff, he resumed competitive swimming in 2001.

To attain such high marks at the national meet takes, as one might guess, a lot of training. Curtis says he averages six workouts per week at one of three Anchorage area pools including the YMCA, Alaska Pacific University, and Bartlett High School. He belongs to a Master's swimming club called "Swimming With Alaska Masters" which boasts 45 members. The group is especially popular with area tri-athletes and Curtis feels right at home.

Though not a tri-athlete himself, he does participate in multiple sports. Surfing is another of his outdoor passions and he recently returned from a nice break doing just that; not for competition, but "for grins only." Returning to work one Monday in early June, he excitedly exclaimed, "I surfed eight days, and it was a blast." Besides the accolades he has collected this spring, Curtis says his year round regimen of swimming and surfing has the added benefit of balancing the rigors of shift work and keeping him healthy.

As for the future, Curtis plans to compete in nationals again, but the Alaska competition, he says is heating up. "A couple of 'ringers' have moved into my age group locally," he says, "and if I don't improve, I'll get beat." To help improve his times, he has recently added weight lifting to his training schedule. That and his coach is analyzing video taken of his stroke technique from nationals this year to help refine his swimming mechanics. "(After that) I will try to swim with a 'catch-up' stroke like Ian Thorpe," Curtis quipped. Australian Ian Thorpe, of course, is an Olympic Champion and world record holder in the 400-meter freestyle event.

Curtis says he really wants to get to nationals again in a couple years when he hits 55, and as determined and disciplined as he is, there is no doubt he will return, and maybe in an Ian Thorpe-like way, even setting some new state records.