Meteorologist
Ohio launches new pilot program to warn travelers of severe weather
FED. FED LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO. ALL RIGHT. AT 607 NEW HERE ON WLWT, A NEW WAY TO DELIVER REAL TIME WEATHER ALERTS TO OHIO RESIDENTS. THIS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT. SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS NOW DISPLAYED ACROSS DOZENS OF DIGITAL BILLBOARDS AND WLWT NEWS FIVE’S KATIE DONOVAN JOINING US IN STUDIO WITH WHERE THE PILOT PROGRAM IS ALREADY POPPING UP. AND KATIE. YEAH, PEOPLE ARE ON THE MOVE WHEN SEVERE WEATHER IS HAPPENING. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. A GOOD THING TO KEEP IN MIND. WATCH FOR HERE AS WE GO THROUGH SEVERE WEATHER SEASON, THE OHIO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND A BILLBOARD COMPANY, ARE TESTING A NEW PILOT PROGRAM IN PARTS OF THE STATE. THE OHIO TRAVELER ALERT SYSTEM STARTED ON JUNE 1ST AND IS CURRENTLY IN TRIAL IN DAYTON AND COLUMBUS. A DIGITAL BILLBOARDS DONATED BY LAMAR ADVERTISING WOULD BE USED TO ALERT MOTORISTS OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS OR THREATENING WEATHER. THE MESSAGES WILL BE TARGETED AND WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE HAZARD. OHIO EMA OFFICIALS TELL US MORE ABOUT THE BENEFITS WE ALWAYS MESSAGE, UM, THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE MORE THAN ONE METHOD TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT NOT TO JUST HAVE ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET, SO TO SPEAK. SO THIS IS NO DIFFERENT. UH, WE HOPE THAT OHIOANS ARE USING OTHER METHODS, UH, TO RECEIVE ALERTS AND NOTIFICATIONS, BUT, UM, THIS IS JUST IN ADDITION TO THOSE NOTIFICATIONS. MAGGIE SAYS THE FEEDBACK SO FAR HAS BEEN POSITIVE. IF THE PROJECT IS SUCCESSFUL, WE ARE TOLD IT WILL LIKELY BE EXPANDED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS PILOT PROGRAM, YOU CAN HEAD OVER TO O
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Ohio launches new pilot program to warn travelers of severe weather
Severe weather events will now be displayed across dozens of digital billboards in a new pilot program. It's a new way to deliver real-time weather alerts to Ohio residents.The Ohio Emergency Management Agency in partnership with the National Weather Service and Lamar Advertising are testing a new pilot program in parts of the state.The Ohio Traveler Alert System started on June 1 and is currently in a trial phase in the Dayton and Columbus areas. The digital billboards donated by Lamar Advertising will be used to alert motorists of potentially dangerous or threatening weather. The messages will be targeted and will contain important information about the hazard."The Ohio EMA and the National Weather Service have created a library of creatives or series of slides as we call them, and the messages include heavy rain, flooding, high wind, winter weather and several other different types of inclement weather," said Sandy Mackey, public affairs chief of the Ohio EMA. "So during a severe weather incident as determined by the National Weather Service, the boards would display in real time information and alerts on specific digital billboards in the impacted areas in the hopes of alerting motorists to the potential threatening weather.""So we always message that you should have more than one way to receive emergency communications," Mackey said. "So its very important to not just have all your eggs in one basket so to speak. This is no different. We hope that Ohioans are using other methods to receive alerts and notifications but this is just in addition to those notifications."Mackey said the feedback so far has been positive. If the project is successful, we were told it will likely be expanded to other parts of Ohio.
Severe weather events will now be displayed across dozens of digital billboards in a new pilot program. It's a new way to deliver real-time weather alerts to Ohio residents.
The Ohio Emergency Management Agency in partnership with the National Weather Service and Lamar Advertising are testing a new pilot program in parts of the state.
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The Ohio Traveler Alert System started on June 1 and is currently in a trial phase in the Dayton and Columbus areas. The digital billboards donated by Lamar Advertising will be used to alert motorists of potentially dangerous or threatening weather. The messages will be targeted and will contain important information about the hazard.
"The Ohio EMA and the National Weather Service have created a library of creatives or series of slides as we call them, and the messages include heavy rain, flooding, high wind, winter weather and several other different types of inclement weather," said Sandy Mackey, public affairs chief of the Ohio EMA. "So during a severe weather incident as determined by the National Weather Service, the boards would display in real time information and alerts on specific digital billboards in the impacted areas in the hopes of alerting motorists to the potential threatening weather."
"So we always message that you should have more than one way to receive emergency communications," Mackey said. "So its very important to not just have all your eggs in one basket so to speak. This is no different. We hope that Ohioans are using other methods to receive alerts and notifications but this is just in addition to those notifications."
Mackey said the feedback so far has been positive. If the project is successful, we were told it will likely be expanded to other parts of Ohio.
