A Coordinated and Collaborative Response to Hurricane Idalia
SEPTEMBER 11, 2023 — On August 28th, the National Ocean Service (NOS) Incident Management Team (IMT) activated ahead of Hurricane Idalia. The NOS IMT, led by OR&R’s Disaster Preparedness Program (DPP) with representatives from across NOS program and staff offices, coordinated response efforts and collected situational awareness. Team members reported information pertaining to any impacts to mission and personnel as well as infrastructure damage.
A total of 272 NOS staff were within Hurricane Idalia’s path. Through the diligent efforts of the IMT and NOS staff, all personnel were accounted for as safe, minimal impacts to infrastructure were reported, and NOS was able to carry out each of its response missions. The work of the NOS IMT is essential to ensuring NOS and NOAA leadership have relevant and up-to-date information to make well-informed decisions.
The cornerstone to NOS IMT’s approach to incident coordination is the NOS Disaster Coordination Dashboard. The dashboard provides quick access to active reports, documents, and tools needed during disaster response. A major component of the dashboard is the varying levels of situation reports. IMT members report program office information pertaining to mission impacts, personnel support, or infrastructure damage. That information is distilled down by DPP staff for NOS and NOAA leadership. The dashboard allows leadership to make efficient decisions by increasing visibility and providing the information required to reduce risks to NOS personnel, mission, and infrastructure.