🚀 go-pugleaf

Lots of interesting ideas about how Skywarn should be organized have been
posted in the last few days.  In Texas, as I think is appropriately the
case, Skywarn activities are ultimately under the control of the Warning
Coordination Meteorologist at the 13 different NWS Forecast Offices which
serve the various geographic areas of the state.  Because of the size of
Texas and the manner in which counties have been assigned to the Forecast
Offices, three areas actually fall under out-of-state WFOs whose boundaries
extend into Texas.

Given our size and diversity, I really don't think you could come up with a
single statewide plan.  A few of the WCMs have built strong Skywarn
organizations around RACES, such as in Dallas County.  In others, such as
Houston, the City of Houston (RACES) provides a wide area repeater, but
Skywarn net members don't have to be affiliated with RACES, ARES, or any
other group. Other area use ARES members, REACT team members, police and
fire personnel, citizens with telephones, etc., etc., etc.

As volunteer liaison officer between Skywarn and RACES at the state
(Division of Emergency Management) level, my job is merely to help promote
the importance of the Skywarn program and to help the NWS publicize its
efforts to organize training, recruit spotters, etc. I personally could
care what hat someone wears as long as that person is trained and available
to send in reports of severe weather when the need arises. Certainly I'd
like to see more spotters become licensed amateurs, because I think the
hobby needs an infusion of new licensees and a well organized amateur
Skywarn net is an excellent reporting medium.  However, the possession of
an amateur license (or lack thereof)really has nothing to do with someone's
value to Skywarn.

The WFO at Corpus Christi has built a very strong marine Skywarn program
around operators of commercial and pleasure vessels.  They even have a
training manual which can be read off the SKYWARN Texas website at
http://www.skywarn-texas.org. The website, incidentally, simply promotes
the overall program and draws no distinction as to who should participate.

Bottom line:  We need to be less concerned with "who" someone is and more
interesed in "what" they can do.

Jim Robinson, K5PNV
Texas State RACES Skywarn Liaison
Webmaster, SKYWARN Texas
http://www.skywarn-texas.org

EMWIN Houston

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