Official Blog of the NWS Des Moines Serving Central Iowa
Tom Hamilton (left), KDSN radio, Denison…Brad Fillbach (middle), OPL, NWS Des Moines, Randy Grossman (right), KDSN radio, Denison. Randy Grossman receives his 35 year length of service award. Tom Hamilton has assisted Randy for the last 30 years. Tom was given a Certificate of Recognition.
Bev Chaplin of Hubbard, Iowa receives her Benjamin Franklin (55 year Length of Service) Award. A large group of Bev’s family and friends attended the presentation. Picture (Left to Right): Brad Fillbach, Coop Program Manager (CPM), WFO Des Moines, Iowa; Bev Chaplin, Hubbard, Iowa; Ken Harding, Chief Program Officer, Central Region Headquarters; Andy Bailey, Acting Meteorologist-in-Charge, WFO Des Moines, Iowa.
The staff at Perry Water Works in Perry, Iowa, receive their 25 year Institutional Length of Service award. Presenting the award is Brad Fillbach, CPM, WFO Des Moines, Iowa.
Ardell McCunn(left) and Kevin McCunn (right) receive their 15 year Length of Service award. The award was presented by Brad Fillbach, CPM, WFO Des Moines, Iowa
Margaret and Ed Long of Lorimor, Iowa receive their 20 year Length of Service award. The award was presented by Brad Fillbach, CPM, WFO Des Moines, Iowa
The National Weather Service has an expansive network of volunteers throughout the United States that provide timely and accurate vital weather information to their local NWS Weather Forecast Office. Throughout the Nation, there are roughly 10,000 volunteers from various locations such as farms, urban and suburban areas, National Parks, Conservation Areas, water treatment plants, local radio and TV stations, just to name a few. The COOP program was initially formed under the 1890 Organic Act in which a system was set up for volunteers to be recruited and trained in weather observations. The mission of these valuable volunteers consists of two parts:
The data is invaluable to an extensive climate database across the United States. Although the majority of the NWS observers take daily measurements of maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation, and snowfall, there are other observers that provide soil temperatures, frost depth, river levels, and greenness or grassland curing data (for fire weather purposes). All this data that is collected from our volunteer observers helps several industries such as litigation, water resources, insurance, engineering and architectural, medical, manufacturing, communications, public utilities, transportation, agriculture, natural disasters/hazardous material mitigation, housing and real estate. We at the National Weather Service are extremely grateful and fortunate to have some amazing folks volunteer their time to provide such crucial data everyday. Length of Service Awards are given every 5 years to individuals or institution that have dedicated their time to help complete the NWS Mission. So far this spring 2015, the NWS Des Moines have presented four Cooperative Observer Length of Service Awards.
Janet Lindstrom of Rockwell City receives her 20 year Length of Service award. Presenting the award was Brad Fillbach, HMT, WFO Des Moines, IA.
Ross Rekemeyer of Albia receives his 30 year Length of Service award presented by Brad Fillbach, HMT, WFO Des Moines, IA.
Brad Mueller of Greenfield, IA (pictured) recently received his 10 year Length of Service Award. Presenting the award was Brad Fillbach, HMT, WFO Des Moines, IA.
Robert “Lightning” Petersen (pictured) recently received his 30 year Length of Service Award. Presenting the award was Brad Fillbach, HMT, WFO Des Moines, IA.
The National Weather Service has an expansive network of volunteers throughout the United States that provide timely and accurate vital weather information to their local NWS Weather Forecast Office. Throughout the Nation, there are roughly 10,000 volunteers from various locations such as farms, urban and suburban areas, National Parks, Conservation Areas, water treatment plants, local radio and TV stations, just to name a few. The COOP program was initially formed under the 1890 Organic Act in which a system was set up for volunteers to be recruited and trained in weather observations. The mission of these valuable volunteers consists of two parts:
The data is invaluable to an extensive climate database across the United States. Although the majority of the NWS observers take daily measurements of maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation, and snowfall, there are other observers that provide soil temperatures, frost depth, river levels, and greenness or grassland curing data (for fire weather purposes). All this data that is collected from our volunteer observers helps several industries such as litigation, water resources, insurance, engineering and architectural, medical, manufacturing, communications, public utilities, transportation, agriculture, natural disasters/hazardous material mitigation, housing and real estate. We at the National Weather Service are extremely grateful and fortunate to have some amazing folks volunteer their time to provide such crucial data everyday. Length of Service Awards are given every 5 years to individuals or institution that have dedicated their time to help complete the NWS Mission. So far this spring 2015, the NWS Des Moines gave 2 Cooperative Observer Length of Service Awards.
Brad Mueller of Greenfield, IA (pictured) recently received his 10 year Length of Service Award. Presenting the award was Brad Fillbach, HMT, WFO Des Moines, IA.
Robert “Lightning” Petersen (pictured) recently received his 30 year Length of Service Award. Presenting the award was Brad Fillbach, HMT, WFO Des Moines, IA.
The National Weather Service has an expansive network of volunteers throughout the United States that provide timely and accurate vital weather information to their local NWS Weather Forecast Office. Throughout the Nation, there are roughly 10,000 volunteers from various locations such as farms, urban and suburban areas, National Parks, Conservation Areas, water treatment plants, local radio and TV stations, just to name a few. The COOP program was initially formed under the 1890 Organic Act in which a system was set up for volunteers to be recruited and trained in weather observations. The mission of these valuable volunteers consists of two parts:
To provide observational meteorological data, usually consisting of daily maximum and minimum temperatures, snowfall, and 24-hour precipitation totals, required to define the climate of the United States and to help measure long-term climate changes.
To provide observational meteorological data in near real-time to support forecast, warning, and other public service programs of the NWS.
The data is invaluable to an extensive climate database across the United States. Although the majority of the NWS observers take daily measurements of maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation, and snowfall, there are other observers that provide soil temperatures, frost depth, river levels, and greenness or grassland curing data (for fire weather purposes). All this data that is collected from our volunteer observers helps several industries such as litigation, water resources, insurance, engineering and architectural, medical, manufacturing, communications, public utilities, transportation, agriculture, natural disasters/hazardous material mitigation, housing and real estate. We at the National Weather Service are extremely grateful and fortunate to have some amazing folks volunteer their time to provide such crucial data everyday. Length of Service Awards are given every 5 years to individuals or institution that have dedicated their time to help complete the NWS Mission. This fall (2014), the NWS Des Moines gave three Cooperative Observer Length of Service Awards.
Eugene McAlexander of Beaconsfield, Iowa receives his 25 year length of service award. Eugene recently celebrated his 90th birthday as well as his 61st wedding anniversary to his lovely wife, Esther. Presenting the award was Brad Fillbach, HMT, WFO Des Moines.
Nicky Lenz of Boyer, Iowa receives her 25 year length of service award. Presenting the award was Brad Fillbach, HMT, WFO Des Moines.
The Grinnell Wastewater Treatment Plant in Grinnell, Iowa recently received their 50 year Institutional Award. Brad Fillbach (right), HMT, WFO Des Moines presented the award to Jan Anderson (left) and Rick Graves (middle) with the Grinnell Treatment Plant.
You can find more detailed information on the Cooperative Observer Program here: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/coop/
Length of Service Awards throughout the country are listed in the COOP Newsletter: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/coop/coop_newsletter.htm