0419 Supporting Statement 2009 040109rev

SUPPORTING STATEMENT
STORMREADY7 , TSUNAMIREADY™ AND STORMREADY/TSUNAMIREADY™
APPLICATION FORMS
OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0419

A.

JUSTIFICATION

This request is for a renewal of this information collection. The title is being changed to reflect
recent requests for TsunamiReady-only recognition.
1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.
Many laws and regulations exist to help local emergency managers deal with hazardous material
spills, search and rescue operations, medical crises, etc., but there are relatively few uniformlyrecognized standards dealing with the specifics of hazardous weather response operations.
Recognizing this need, the National Weather Service (NWS), has designed AStormReady7@ to
help counties, cities and towns implement procedures to reduce the potential for disastrous
weather-related consequences. By participating in this program, local agencies can earn
recognition for their jurisdiction by meeting guidelines established by the NWS in partnership
with federal, state, and local emergency management professionals. This information collection
supports Public Law 109-424, the Tsunami Warning and Education Act, specifically Section 5,
which describes the development of a “community-based tsunami hazard mitigation program to
improve tsunami preparedness of at-risk areas in the United States and its territories.”
The NWS recognized an additional need for communities that were vulnerable to tsunamis to
improve their public awareness and preparedness. These are communities located along the
coastal areas of the contiguous U.S., Alaska and Hawaii. The NWS developed
ATsunamiReadyJ@, which is very similar to StormReady program. In 2002, the NWS combined
the programs. There are three applications available to communities: a joint
StormReady/TsunaniReady application; a StormReady application; and a TsunamiReady
application. The TsunamiReady application was designed to meet the needs of communities that
expressed an interest in becoming recognized as TsunamiReady only. The
StormReady/TsunamiReady program is intended to:
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Improve the timeliness and effectiveness of hazardous weather warnings for the public.
Provide detailed and clear recommendations by which local emergency managers may
establish/improve effective hazardous weather operations.
Help local emergency managers justify costs and purchases related to supporting their
hazardous weather-related program.
Reward local hazardous-weather mitigation programs that have achieved a desired
performance level.
Provide a means of acquiring additional Community Rating System points assigned by
the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Provide an image incentive to counties, cities, and towns that can identify themselves as
being AStormReady/TsunamiReady@ .

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Encourage the enhancement of hazardous weather preparedness programs in jurisdictions
surrounding AStormReady/TsunamiReady@ communities and counties.

Communities hear about the programs through their local Weather Forecast Office or local/state
emergency management agencies. Details about the program and information on how to become
a StormReady, TsunamiReady, or StormReady/TsunamiReady community are located at the
Website: http://www.stormready.noaa.gov.
2. Explain how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose the information will be
used. If the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support
information that will be disseminated to the public, then explain how the collection
complies with applicable NOAA Information Quality Guidelines.
StormReady/TsunamiReady is a voluntary program offered to provide guidance and incentive to
officials interested in improving their respective hazardous weather operations. Jurisdictions
will use the application to apply for initial StormReady/ TsunamiReady recognition. Full
StormReady/TsunamiReady renewals occur every six years, at which time communities would
complete the application form again. The government will use the information collected by the
StormReady/TsunamiReady application to determine whether a community has met all of the
guidelines to receive StormReady/TsunamiReady recognition.
Recognition as StormReady/TsunamiReady entitles a community to the following benefits:
1) two StormReady/TsunamiReady identification signs; 2) authorization to use the StormReady/
TsunamiReady logos; 3) instructions for acquiring additional identification signs; 4) information
concerning the notification of the National Flood Insurance Program for possible adjustment to
insurance rates; and 5) inclusion on the national StormReady/TsunamiReady Website and map.
Each question asked on the application helps to determine if the applying jurisdiction meets the
guidelines required to become StormReady/TsunamiReady. Specifically:
Guideline 1: Community Information. Requests the primary and secondary points of contact for
the jurisdiction and identifies the location of the 24-hour warning point and Emergency
Operations Center. NWS must have this information to verify the person and place responsible
for the information.
Guideline 2: NWS Information Reception Equipment. This information identifies the number,
type and location of redundant reception equipment a jurisdiction has in place to receive critical
NWS weather information.
Guideline 3: Local Weather & Water Monitoring Equipment. Verifies the number, type and
location of redundant weather and monitoring equipment used by the jurisdiction.
Guideline 4: Local Warning Dissemination. Identifies the type, number and location of
redundant warning systems used by the jurisdiction to disseminate weather information to the
public.

Guideline 5: Community Preparedness. Details specific community education and preparedness
activities in terms of hazardous weather.
Guideline 6: Administrative/Record Keeping. Provides details /dates on how the jurisdiction
and the NWS administer the program and keep information updated.
None of the information on the application is distributed to the public. The only information
made public is the name of the recognized community and the date of its recognition. The
information is disseminated to the public via the World Wide Web and complies with applicable
NOAA Information Quality Guidelines:
Utility. Each newly recognized site is added to a graphical map of the U.S. located on the
StormReady Web site (www.stormready.noaa.gov). Posting the information on the Web site
provides the communities with public recognition of their status and enables the public to see
what communities are recognized as AStormReady/TsunamiReady@. It also keeps an accurate,
up-to-date count of the number of recognized communities.
Integrity. The procedures for recognizing a community as StormReady/TsunamiReady adhere to
OMB Circular A-130. The Web site is updated as each new community is recognized. The
procedures for getting the communities recognized and posted on the Web site are outlined in the
StormReady/TsunamiReady Operations Manual. The Webmaster is the only person authorized
to make any changes to the site.
Objectivity. The recognitions are verified by the NWS field official who provides the name of
the jurisdiction and date of recognition to the program manager and the Webmaster.
As explained in the preceding paragraphs, the information gathered has utility. NOAA NWS will
retain control over the information and safeguard it from improper access, modification, and
destruction, consistent with NOAA standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic
information. See response to Question 10 of this Supporting Statement for more information on
confidentiality and privacy. The information collection is designed to yield data that meet all
applicable information quality guidelines.
3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological techniques or other forms of
information technology.
The StormReady, TsunamiReady, and StormReady/TsunamiReady application forms are
available in Word and fillable PDF format via the World Wide Web at
http://www.stormready.noaa.gov. Applicants will submit the forms either electronically or via
paper copy to the local advisory board.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.
StormReady/TsunamiReady is a unique federal program. There are no other known programs
that collect the information requested on the applications.

5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe
the methods used to minimize burden.
Application for StormReady, TsunamiReady, or StormReady/TsunamiReady recognition is
voluntary and collection will not have a significant impact on small entities. The program is
aimed at government bodies, not small business. Since the information required is minimal and
can be found in a community emergency manager=s customary and usual records, no impact on
small governments is expected.
6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is
not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
The program is designed to help as many communities prepare for hazardous weather situations
as possible. While the NWS has a goal of recognizing 100 communities per year, the agency
fully encourages additional community applications. If the NWS could not collect the
information requested on the application form, it would be forced to withhold applications from
communities seeking to be recognized and deny them the political and tangible benefits of
StormReady/TsunamiReady recognition and possible reduction in flood insurance rates.
7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a
manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
None.
8. Provide information on the PRA Federal Register Notice that solicited public comments
on the information collection prior to this submission. Summarize the public comments
received in response to that notice and describe the actions taken by the agency in response
to those comments. Describe the efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to
obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of
instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data
elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.
A Federal Register Notice, published on January 12, 2009 (74 FR 2525) solicited public
comment on this request for renewal. No comments were received.
9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than
remuneration of contractors or grantees.
No payments or gifts will be provided to applicants. Each StormReady/TsunamiReady
community receives two signs to identify it as a program participant.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for
assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
Data collected through these forms are considered public information.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual
behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered
private.
The StormReady, TsunamiReady, and StormReady/TsunamiReady application forms do not
contain any sensitive questions as described in the PRA guidance.
12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.
Respondents will complete the applicable form once every six years. The NWS estimates that it
will take 2 hours to complete the StormReady, TsunamiReady, or StormReady/TsunamiReady
application form. Approximately 120 communities are expected to join the program each year
and 120 are expected to apply for renewals every six years, which requires communities to fill
out applications. Over the course of 3 years, NOAA expects 360 new application forms and 360
renewals to be received. The average response time per applicant is 2 hours. The total annual
response time for the collection is 480 hours annually.
Number of new and renewal applicants
expected
Frequency of response for each respondent
Total number of responses expected
Average response time per respondent
Total annual response time for the collection

240 per year
Once every six years
720 over 3 years
2 hour
480 hours

These estimates are based on the experience of numerous communities over the course of the
program.
13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection (excluding the value of the burden hours in Question
12 above).
No start-up, capital, or operations related costs are expected from this collection. The forms can
be prepared without any special equipment and no monitoring or sampling activities are
required. Information collected by the application forms provides a description of existing
capabilities and infrastructure. Record keeping of these items is considered a part of customary
and usual business of a community=s emergency manager.
The only cost an applicant must bear is the price of postage, if they chose to use standard mail;
however, approximately 80% of applicants use the electronic forms. Using an estimate of $2.00
for postage per application, and assuming that 20% of applicants (54 of 240) mail in the forms,
this would equate to a total annual cost of $108.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.
The cost to the government of administering the program is limited to the hours that local
Meteorologists-In-Charge (MIC) and Warning Coordination Meteorologists (WCM) spend at

local Advisory Board Meetings and conducting site reviews of applicant communities. Local
advisory board meetings typically occur once a quarter and take about 2 hours to complete. One
MIC and one WCM attend. Site reviews take an average of 3-4 hours of a WCM=s time.
The total annual cost to the government is covered by the annual salaries of the government
employees administering the program since the activities conducted in association with this
program are considered to be a part of the regular duties of all Meteorologists-In-Charge and
Warning Coordination Meteorologists. Using the assumptions in the table below, the dollar cost
of administering the program is estimated to be $79,243.20.
Base hourly rate of an MIC*
$46.65
Base hourly rate of a WCM*
$39.48
Duration of Local Advisory Board meeting
2 hours
Cost to government of Local Advisory Board $172.26
meeting:
2 ($46.65+ $39.48)
Duration of site visit
4 hours
Cost to government of site visit:
$157.92
4 ($39.48)
Cost to government per application*
$330.18
$172.26 + $157.92
Total annual cost to the government
$79,243.20
240 x ($330.18)
Note: Based on the average salary of MICs and WCMs
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.
The increase in hours reflects the expected increase in number of applications, reflecting both
increased interest and the availability of the TsunamiReady option. Additionally, the last PRA
renewal did not include the number of renewals we anticipated NOTE: the cost increased from
$100 to $108 (a greater percentage of online applications, but renewals counted). The ROCIS
system shows a previously approved cost of $0 due to the rounding off of cost when migrating
the collection to ROCIS.
16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and
publication.
The individual pieces of information collected are not published. The NWS maintains a Web
page identifying the communities that are recognized as StormReady, TsunamiReady or
StormReady/TsuamiReady.
17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the
information collection, explain the reasons why display would be inappropriate.
The expiration date will be displayed on all application forms.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 of the
OMB 83-I.
No exceptions identified.
B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
This collection does not employ statistical methods.