Justification for change

JUSTIFICATION FOR CHANGE

StormReady, TsunamiReady, Stormready/TsunamiReady and StormReady Supporter

Application Forms

OMB CONTROL No. 0648-0419

CHANGE REQUEST: Update TsunamiReady Application form

What was done and why: In April, 2014, the National Weather Service TsunamiReady Program received recommendations to update the TsunamiReady Guidelines upon which this form is based to be more closely aligned with FEMA’s Emergency Management structure and principles. The recommendations were developed over a four year contract with a Professor of Geography and Social Science at East Tennessee State University.

The recommendations were reviewed and socialized with three groups of stakeholders: current TsunamiReady community leaders; National Weather Service coastal office Warning Coordination Meteorologists and other interested NOAA staff; and representatives from coastal states and territories through the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (NTHMP) between June and October, 2014 (webinar-based open review process.)

After the open review process was conducted, the NWS TsunamiReady Program Manager piloted the proposed Guidelines with four communities in North Carolina, California, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Tweaks and refinements learned from these pilots were incorporated into a final set of TsunamiReady Guidelines – Fundamental.

Major changes:

1. Reordering of TsunamiReady Guidelines under broad emergency management categories of Mitigation, Preparedness, and Response. The content of the Guidelines is mostly the same. It is the structure and updated technical terms and language that have changed since publication of the current set of TsunamiReady Guidelines in 2001.

2. Updating references to and use of certain terms-of-art, such as exercises, outreach (including digital and social media), and notification/warning methods.

3. Clarifying identification of tsunami inundation areas when inundation maps are not available.

4. Establishing state TsunamiReady Boards who have authorized leeway to interpret the TsunamiReady Guidelines for application in the respective states and territories.

5. Allowing for various types of exercises to count toward meeting the Guidelines: tabletop, multi-hazard, and full-scale.

6. Removal of population-based requirements which were inadvertently excluding small communities which are nonetheless at risk.

Justification for Change:

The NWS TsunamiReady Guidelines have been updated as a result of a thorough review and piloting process and public comment period (see NWS Public Information Notice providing a 60-day open comment period.)

Comments and changes to the proposed Guidelines were incorporated during the open review and piloting process. No comments were received during the public comment period, most probably because invited to participate so thoroughly during the open review and piloting process.

At the meeting of the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (NTHMP) of July 15, 2015, the NTHMP Leadership approved the proposed Guidelines (meeting minutes: http://nws.weather.gov/nthmp/documents/NTHMPCC20150715Minutes.pdf, page 4).

In order to implement the new TsunamiReady Guidelines, a new TsunamiReady application form has been developed that aligns directly with each of the 16 new Guidelines.

There is no change to burden or cost by implementing this new TsunamiReady application form.