The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation today announced that a hearing will be held on February 2 on legislation to improve tsunami warnings.
Scheduled to appear is NOAA Administrator Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., U.S. Navy (Ret.). In light of Admiral Lautenbacher's strong defence of The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's (PTWC) response to the Sumatra earthquake (see January 12 post), the committee might well ask him this previously-suggested list of questions:
• Will NOAA release the PTWC’s crisis communications plan? (If not, why not?)
• What liaison did NOAA accomplish with the major media (Associated Press, CNN, BBC, etc.) before 12/26 to ensure emergency phone calls to these media would produce timely warnings to their audiences?
• Are PTWC scientists trained to telephone the media to issue life-saving warnings?
• Is the PTWC too high-tech oriented? Do you think low-tech telephone calls have a place in your pre-crisis planning and emergency warning protocols?
• Have you ordered changes in the PTWC warning protocols since the tsunami? If so, what changes have your required?
• Is NOAA prepared to accept any responsibility for an internal procedural failure that might have cost the lives of tens of thousands of people in south Asia?
• What is NOAA telling south Asia nations about its performance on 12/26?
• What are your personal feelings about NOAA’s performance on 12/26?
These are legitimate issues that would get to the heart of whether NOAA is capable of issuing radio and television warnings once its scientists believe a deadly tsunami may have been generated anywhere on the planet. The February 2 hearing ought not to gloss over NOAA's performance on 12/26 and its state of preparedness today.
Doug Carlson
Honolulu, HI
January 25, 2005
www.DougCarlsonCommunications.com
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