Researchers from the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (SCIPP), a Climate Program Office Climate Adaptations Partnerships team, published a case study of how Oklahoma military installations prepare for extreme weather in Environmental Hazards. Drs. Dolly Na-Yemeh, Mark Shafer, and Cassandra Shivers-Williams conducted interviews and a focus group with emergency managers from two installations, the Tinker Air Force Base and Fort Sill Fires Center of Excellence. Results showed Air Force Weather products were the primary source of weather information consulted at both installations. The specific variables used and decisions made varied by threat, activity impacted, and resources needed. Furthermore, short- and long-term preparedness were considered at both installations, although their execution differed based on the needs of the unit or task.
The investigation of how Oklahoma military installations were using weather and climate information originated out of discussions during a workshop that SCIPP hosted in 2018. The workshop included all five federal military installations and the Oklahoma National Guard. Follow-on funding from the NOAA Climate Program Office, through the NOAA Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations (CIWRO), allowed for a more in-depth exploration of topics that arose from the meeting, including examining the weather and climate-related needs of Oklahoma’s largest military installations, as detailed in the paper. In a related effort, SCIPP undertook a study to assess the state of knowledge regarding the prediction of wildfires and winter storms and the sources of predictability that could help the National Guard anticipate potential deployment and training needs.
For more information, contact Caylah Cruickshank.
