TropicalAnalystwx13 Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 From Kathy Sullivan, acting under secretary of NOAA: To All Employees,The events over the past week, including more devastating tornadoes tonight in Oklahoma and Missouri, remind us how important every single employee within NOAA is to the health, safety, and well-being of this nation. I want to thank you all for continued commitment and dedication even in times of danger to your lives, families, and property. The work you do truly is important to each and every American from coast to coast.That is precisely why I'm pleased to report that this evening the Department of Commerce transmitted a plan to Congress that will avoid all furloughs in NOAA. This was possible because of an increase in flexibility in how we use our funding within the Department. Because of this new development we are cancelling our intent to furlough all 12,000 of our employees. As you all know, sequestration required NOAA to make significant cuts to its budget for the remainder of this fiscal year. We had to make some painful decisions and choices, but all of those decisions were aimed at mitigating effects on our critical missions and services, and our employees. We have implemented a hiring freeze, limited travel and training, and cut grant and contract funding, in addition to many others.For weeks, we have been working diligently to present a plan that represented the best way to ensure that we met these goals within the financial resources we have been given. When we initially received our appropriation in late March, some of our colleagues were facing up to 10 days of furlough, while others were facing up to 20. This was neither acceptable nor executable. Therefore, we looked for every other option possible to manage through these serious fiscal challenges, including the proposal we have been communicating with all of you this past month. While this new plan allows us to avoid furloughs, sequestration remains an ongoing challenge. We must all continue to scrutinize every expense and prioritize our most critical missions and essential operations.I know the past two months have been difficult and uncertain. Our number one priority during this time was to protect our mission and our employees. I'm glad that the Department was able to support this goal. I will continue to share information as I am able and encourage your Line and Staff Office Directors to do the same.Thank you,Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
U_Thant Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I'm gonna be honest: I kinda wish we did get furloughed. At least with the furlough, it felt like everyone was going to feel the pain. Now, its back to just those of us who want to move who are feeling the pain of sequester. The hiring freeze is still in full force. Hearing the furlough is cancelled actually made me... depressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I wish we could volunteer for a furlough in exchange for a transfer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I wish we could volunteer for a furlough in exchange for a transfer. Where do you wanna locate to? Personally i am glad they avoided the furlough. On a related note NOAA is the one agency that should be getting MORE money not less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 Where do you wanna locate to? Personally i am glad they avoided the furlough. On a related note NOAA is the one agency that should be getting MORE money not less. Eastern Region would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baroclinic_instability Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 Eastern Region would be nice. I know how it is working in a location you may not love (I worked in Grand Forks, ND after graduating working for 25k a year for 2.5 years!) but perhaps it is time for you to move into a different field or different job. Reading your posts is depressing...you sounds miserable out there. With respect to the furloughs, obviously good news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I know how it is working in a location you may not love (I worked in Grand Forks, ND after graduating working for 25k a year for 2.5 years!) but perhaps it is time for you to move into a different field or different job. Reading your posts is depressing...you sounds miserable out there. The thought has crossed my mind. The longer the hiring freeze goes on, the louder it will get. I know what that was like having worked in AccuWeather and lived in State College for about the same time and pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isohume Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I'm gonna be honest: I kinda wish we did get furloughed. At least with the furlough, it felt like everyone was going to feel the pain. Now, its back to just those of us who want to move who are feeling the pain of sequester. The hiring freeze is still in full force. Hearing the furlough is cancelled actually made me... depressed. True, but once it un-freezes there should be a crapload of openings. Almost a mini-superbid. Just be patient another year or so and I imagine you'll get a good ER office. I'm counting on SAN, JAX, TBW, or MLB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 True, but once it un-freezes there should be a crapload of openings. Almost a mini-superbid. Just be patient another year or so and I imagine you'll get a good ER office. I'm counting on SAN, JAX, TBW, or MLB. You're assuming that the sequester goes away and the forces that want to downsize us permanently don't get their way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isohume Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 You're assuming that the sequester goes away and the forces that want to downsize us permanently don't get their way. They are going to have to fill the current and future vacancies at some point. I'm not at all concerned about a possible downsizing. The speed at which things get done in the NWS (like modernization, AWIPS, GFE, AWIPS II, aviation grids, etc) have me believing nothing will happen for a decade or so, even if a plan was approved today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Lizard Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 True, but once it un-freezes there should be a crapload of openings. Almost a mini-superbid. Just be patient another year or so and I imagine you'll get a good ER office. I'm counting on SAN, JAX, TBW, or MLB. If you like it warm and near water, CRP wouldn't be bad. Probably the nicest big city in Texas. I know SAN covers a big area with coastal plains, deserts and mountains, but it just seems like it'd be a boring place for a weather fan. Nice place to live, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isohume Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 If you like it warm and near water, CRP wouldn't be bad. Probably the nicest big city in Texas. I know SAN covers a big area with coastal plains, deserts and mountains, but it just seems like it'd be a boring place for a weather fan. Nice place to live, though. Actually the wx is subtly challenging in SAN. Upstream data sparse Pacific, coastal aviation, massive fire wx program, monsoonal mtn svr/flood convection, Santa Ana winds...and when it does rain, the media and people flip out and you better be right. The weather may not be as extreme in SAN as in the Plains, but it's not as straightforward either. Yeah CRP would be a good office I imagine. I usually blank out TX as a possible choice, but I'd also go to San Antonio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isohume Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Actually the wx is subtly challenging in SAN. ...not to mention the constant danger imposed by the NWS's arch nemesis Kevin Martin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainshadow Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 They are going to have to fill the current and future vacancies at some point. I'm not at all concerned about a possible downsizing. The speed at which things get done in the NWS (like modernization, AWIPS, GFE, AWIPS II, aviation grids, etc) have me believing nothing will happen for a decade or so, even if a plan was approved today. Yeah there are nearly 200 open positions at the 122 field offices, you cant keep all the programs going with that many slots staying open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isohume Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Yeah there are nearly 200 open positions at the 122 field offices, you cant keep all the programs going with that many slots staying open. True...especially with the new DSS push. Are we really going to give up a J/I shift for a dedicated DSS desk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 True...especially with the new DSS push. Are we really going to give up a J/I shift for a dedicated DSS desk? Wasn't LWX just recently ordered to end their DSS pilot program in order to fill regular spots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isohume Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Wasn't LWX just recently ordered to end their DSS pilot program in order to fill regular spots? I'm not sure, but BOX is taking the initiative on a whole now OPS plan. ER and our MIC are getting pretty excited about it. From Friday's email... Proposal for Converting I Shift into DSS Shift Overview Impact Based Decision Support Services (IDSS) are one of the main goals of the Weather Ready Nation. With the tremendous impact weather is having on the United States as a whole and on Southern New England on a local level, building community resilience to extreme weather is becoming more and more important. There is also a growing desire for these services by the emergency management community, as evidenced by the overwhelming response to NWS Taunton’s support of the 1812 Bicentennial and 4th of July activities. The proposal to phase the current I shift into more of a decision support role stems from a desire to do more while working with the limited resources we have. DSS Shift The DSS shift should be a proactive shift, determining with the FIC the impact of the day. During periods of quiet weather the shift should be proactive and evaluate potential hazardous weather out to at least 36 hours and high impact events out 7 days. This would be a basis for providing briefings to affected entities throughout the day. This will enhance relationships with the media and our partners through the forecasters in addition to management. The overall plan for this shift is to implement it in a tiered fashion, modifying duties to the shift slowly. DSS shifts during non business hours (overnights & weekends) will be event driven and covered with overtime. Year One The DSS shift will take the lead on initiating and conducting conference calls, including sending the email invitations and composing the briefings. The DSS shift will also take a more active role in composing social media posts, in conjunction with the HMT unit. The DSS shift will work with the short term forecaster to produce probabilistic snowfall graphics. Year Two The DSS shift will put together multimedia briefings using Camtasia software. These can be made in conjunction with conference calls, with some practice, or can be made separately for the web/facebook/social media. The DSS shift will be responsible for more specific event support, whether from the office or on-site at the event. Year Three+ The graphical HWO, webpage updates, and additional probabilistic graphics will be additional responsibilities of the shift. Move towards an even more proactive approach to decision support by determining what the impact of the day is and notifying partners who would be affected, via email, of the impacts and our presence to assist/support them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 True...especially with the new DSS push. Are we really going to give up a J/I shift for a dedicated DSS desk? We have already given up program shifts (X) here for DSS during the week. Lost several shifts per pay period for our 10 forecasters to cover DSS/FB/Twitter. Plus enhanced coverage over weekends for DSS and into evenings/overnights. Was originally an "I" shift to cover aviation or enhanced coverage if any weather situations warranted. The DSS opportunities have caused us to get busier and busier. Sent this before reading the previous post. You can see what we're doing now. Can be crazy at times. --Turtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isohume Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 We have already given up program shifts (X) here for DSS during the week. Lost several shifts per pay period for our 10 forecasters to cover DSS/FB/Twitter. Plus enhanced coverage over weekends for DSS and into evenings/overnights. Was originally an "I" shift to cover aviation or enhanced coverage if any weather situations warranted. The DSS opportunities have caused us to get busier and busier. Sent this before reading the previous post. You can see what we're doing now. Can be crazy at times. --Turtle I imagine. I say we get all the offices up to normal staffing levels before we start adding more services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainshadow Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 I imagine. I say we get all the offices up to normal staffing levels before we start adding more services. Only 22 of 122 offices are fully staffed, so yes. We are having a hard enough time just finding someone to fill operational shifts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 We just became fully staffed today with the intern hired just before the freeze. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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