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TRANSCRIPT
NWSChat
A Situational Awareness and
Communication Tool for NWS Partners
Matthew Steinbugl |National Weather Service State College, PA | Original Presentation by Kevin M. Smith | National Weather Service Pocatello, ID
What is NWSChat?
A powerful situational awareness and communication tool available only to
core partners of the National Weather Service (NWS).
By simply going to a web site and logging in, you access a chat room where
you can communicate 24/7 with the NWS, and monitor watches, warnings,
advisories, forecast discussions, and storm damage reports in real-time, all
in one place!
Every NWS Office Has a Chat Room
(Slide Concept From Smith, 2014)
NWSChat Brings You Inside
Your Local NWS Office
Monitored by Every Forecaster on Shift
Emergency Mgmt
FEMA
State
County
Local & Colleges
Media
Television
Web
Newspaper
Radio
Public Safety
911
Law Enforcement
Fire
Search & Rescue
Transportation
Airport Mgmt/ATC
FHWA
State DOT
Public Works
Government Partners
BLM, DOD, DHS, DOE,
DOI, DNR, EPA, FAA,
NASA, NG, NPS, USACE,
USFS, USGS
Other
Tribal Officials
Ham Radio
Water Management
Public Health
Who Is Eligible?
One-Stop Shop: Monitor our watches, warnings, advisories, forecast
discussions, and storm damage reports as we issue them. Click on each
product to read them and access interactive maps showing areas affected.
Peak Situational Awareness: In addition to all of our warning and forecast
products, monitor as we post updates and share critical warning decision
expertise, and see what other participating partners are saying.
Non-Intrusive: Log in and simply let chat run in the background! It will ding
once anytime a new product is issued or someone posts. This is a great way
to catch events and impacts on days you are not expecting to be very active.
Benefits:
NWSChat as a Situational Awareness Tool
Two-Way Communication: Quickly chat with us 24/7 using a simple, easy-
to-use chatroom. Ask us questions about the timing or severity of weather for
your area and our latest forecast thinking. There are NO dumb questions!
Report Severe Weather: Reports of wind damage, hail, flooding,
tornadoes, and other weather impacts are absolutely critical to our warning
operations, and can help save lives. Quickly and easily pass along these
reports to us without tying up a phone line and interrupting your activities.
Unified Message: Coordinate public safety messaging with us on incoming
weather systems.
Benefits:
NWSChat as a Communication Tool
Effective: Unlike a phone call, information stays onscreen for the user,
making it available when YOU need it.
Efficient: NWSChat provides a personal way to quickly connect with and
distribute information to multiple outlets and agencies at one time.
Archived: All chats and nwsbot posts are date and time stamped. Chatroom
logs are available for after-action reviews and to complete reports.
Other Benefits
“Does it cost money?”
No! It’s free!
“We are extremely understaffed and super busy this time of year. I didn’t realize
it was something we would have to do (and chat with someone) every shift.”
No commitments! No requirement to ever type a single word in chat!
“My concern centers around the need to change passwords so frequently.”
Password requirement relaxed from every 60 days to every 180 days.
Do NOT need to remember your old password to create a new one!
“But I would still prefer to
call you on the phone.” Do it!
Partner Concerns
NWSChat Live works in all web browsers.
Use of NWSChat Live precludes having to download software and deal with
your organization’s IT security requirements. Can also use chat clients.
NWSChat works best and offers the greatest functionality on a desktop or
laptop computer, or a tablet. However, you CAN use NWSChat on a mobile
phone using any chat application that supports Extensible Messaging and
Presence Protocol (XMPP).
Android iPhone and iPad
Xabber Monal IM
Talkonaut Talkonaut
Technical Notes
NWSChat on a Mobile Phone
1) Register for an NWSChat account through your local NWS office.
2) Complete very brief, mandatory training (compliance)
3) Complete refresher training annually.
I’m Ready to Sign Up!
How Do I Sign Up? • Go to: nwschat.weather.gov
• On the right hand side, select “Request NWS Chat
Account – NWS Partners”
• Agree to the terms of use and fill out the form. You will
have to go through some “training” in order to access
the chat service but it is very simple.
• The request will go to the local office for approval. If it
takes more than a day for your account to be approved,
give us a call.
Resources:
Video Tutorial: https://goo.gl/vCgxeK
FAQ’s: https://goo.gl/3keh8p
NWS Chat Manual: https://goo.gl/Y8qsom
Account Request Page:
https://goo.gl/ot1gCx
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