Through the Waring Coordination Subcommittee, the NTHMP provides input to the operational U.S. Tsunami Warning System. Recommendations from the NTHMP help refine warning system messages, graphics, procedures, exercises, and dissemination systems so that warning system products are effective during a tsunami warning.
The WCS will help improve U.S. tsunami warning system effectiveness by providing NTHMP partners a means to exchange experiences and discuss improvements related to operational product dissemination. WCS members will formulate and agree to actions and recommendations regarding components of the tsunami warning system such as warning center products, warning procedures, message dissemination, system exercises, and Emergency Alert System activation. The WCS will execute strategies as assigned in the NTHMP Strategic Plan, and activities as assigned by the NTHMP Coordinating Committee.
Authority: The WCS will be considered the primary mechanism for NTHMP partner input to NOAA's operational tsunami warning system. As such, its actions and recommendations, achieved by consensus of the members, will be considered to represent the collective will of those partners. Major changes proposed through the Subcommittee will be vetted through the NWS service change process and the NWS Directive and Instruction system as appropriate. Minor changes proposed and approved through the Subcommittee will be implemented by the Tsunami Warning Centers.
State/territory membership is the Emergency Management Member from each of the NTHMP regions of the Coordinating Committee: Alaska, American Samoa, California, East Coast States, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Gulf Coast States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Oregon, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington.
Led by Washington State Emergency Management Department for NOAA and the NTHMP, this first-of-its-kind document analyzes U.S. tsunami alerting. Tsunamis are unpredictable, high-impact events requiring rapid, accurate alerts to protect millions in hazard zones. NTHMP partners documented procedures, identified gaps, and assessed potential alert system changes. These findings reflect operational realities, including technical, financial, and demographic constraints across the nation.
Co-Chairs
Emergency Management Member from each region of the Coordinating Committee:
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