By Sohee Shin

The Oklahoma Climatological Survey at OU has been named a semifinalist in the 1999 Innovations in American Government Awards Program competition.

The award recognizes the Oklahoma Climatological Survey's OK-FIRST Project, which helped save lives when tornadoes struck some areas of Oklahoma on May 3.

OK-FIRST stands for Oklahoma's First-response Information Resource System, which includes 115 automated weather stations and 15 NEXRAD Doppler radars in and around the state to detect and respond to severe weather patterns. The weather information is transmitted by computer to emergency managers using the state's new OneNet system.

Ken Crawford, director of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, said OK-FIRST is designed to give better warning of bad weather to the public.

"OK-FIRST represents the culmination of 15 years' work aimed at improving technology and communications to better warn the public of impending weather forecasts," Crawford said in a statement.

OU President David Boren said the Survey will bring credit to the university.

"The University of Oklahoma is very proud of the Survey and the role which it allows the university to play in helping to save lives with early tornado and storm warnings," Boren said in a statement. "Our programs in this area have garnered worldwide recognition, which is a real credit to the quality of our faculty and staff."

In late spring of this year, 98 semifinalists representing the top 6 percent of the applicants to the Innovations in American Government Awards Program, will be reduced to 20 finalists.

In the fall, the committee will select the finalists, of which 10 will receive $100,000 awards, and 10 will receive $20,000 awards.

"This award recognizes the OK-FIRST Project, which proved so valuable during the recent storms, and I wish to express my appreciation and the gratitude of your fellow Oklahomans to all those who played a role in creating this wonderful tool," Gov. Frank Keating said in a letter to OU President David L. Boren and the Oklahoma Climatological Survey.

Used by permission, The Oklahoma Daily

"This award recognizes the OK-FIRST Project, which proved so valuable during the recent storms, and I wish to express my appreciation and the gratitude of your fellow Oklahomans to all those who played a role in creating this wonderful tool."
Gov. Frank Keating, following the May 3, 1999 tornado outbreak

"The University of Oklahoma is very proud of the Survey and the role which it allows the university to play in helping to save lives with early tornado and storm warnings. Our programs in this area have garnered worldwide recognition, which is a real credit to the quality of our faculty and staff."
David L. Boren, President, University of Oklahoma