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GCEM weather upgrades to aid firefighters, storm data
The Oklahoma Hornet, Waukomis, Garfield County, Oklahoma. Vol. 98, No.1, Page 1
Garfield County recently joined 21 others linked by computer to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey at the University of Oklahoma, which allows access to 14 radar sites and 114 automated observing stations across Oklahoma.
That will give Garfield Co. Emergency Management (GCEM) personnel an additional tool in their arsenal to help in providing rapid warnings when dangerous weather approaches.
The OK-FIRST program is the state's first response information resource system using telecommunications. It is designed to place critical weather information in the hands of local public safety officials.
Currently, Waukomis Emergency Management personnel, including all 17 Waukomis Fire Dept. firefighters, carry pagers with direct access to severe weather warnings from GCEM.
GCEM Director Mike Honigsberg of Enid said OK-FIRST provides emergency management personnel with more complete weather data, making it easier to determine the severity of the storms and the potential for severe weather.
He indicated that the new program doesn't make his people weather forecasters, but it allows them to look at the radar screens and determine what kind of intensities are occurring in this area, and allows them time to make decisions on what to do.
"This will help us make a lot more sensible decisions on whether to activate our emergency management center," said Honigsberg.
GCEM monitors weather conditions in this area and passes the information on to emergency management in Enid and out in the county. They then decide if its appropriate to sound warning sirens.
In addition to aiding in identifying and tracking of severe weather, OK-FIRST also provides a wealth of information that can be used by GCEM and other agencies.
Some of those information areas include wind direction and strength, humidity, dew point and other conditions that can be used by fire departments when battling grass fires, or when trying to predict the path of fumes from potentially hazardous materials spills.
Fire departments can also use the data to advise landowners when it's safe to burn excess vegetation.
"It's just astounding what we have access to and what we have available to help the people in this area," said Honigsberg. "It's just amazing what we can do with this stuff, and it's just a click of a button."
Currently, Honigsberg and Joseph Andrukaitis, a meteorologist with the Air National Guard, are the only members of the GCEM team capable of operating the new system. Andrukaitis will be teaching the remaining volunteers how to use OK-FIRST in the near future.
GCEM is relocating from its cramped quarters in the Dept. of Human Services building on the south side of Enid, to the Enid Fire Department central station on East Garriott. The move will enable fire department personnel to access weather information received by GCEM computers.
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