| OEMA NEWS |
OEMA President’s Awards Presented
OKFirst and the Oklahoma Climate Survey have long been recognized as tremendous resources and supporters of emergency management in
Oklahoma. Beginning in 1997 as part of a U.S. Telecommunications Grant under Dr. Ken Crawford and Dale Morris, the original intent was to enhance
communications infrastructure in rural areas. The tools and capabilities provided through OKFirst have been repeatedly touted as adding value and
credibility to emergency management and public safety offices, while providing much-needed expertise and critical information and decision support in a
timely manner.
Oklahoma public safety officials can certainly not forget the individuals who currently support the program, and those who have worked tirelessly to
provide this important asset and the training to support it since its inception. Among recent OKFirst Program Managers are Deke Arndt and Andrew
Reader, each recipients of the Oklahoma Emergency Management Association’s President’s Award for 2009.
Deke Arndt began with the OKFirst Program in 1998 as an instructor with a focus on fire weather, while Andrew Reader began as a student in 1999. In
2004 Deke became Program Manager and served as such until he and Andrew shared Project Manager duties for about 18 months, followed by
Andrew officially becoming the Project Manager in April of 2007. Andrew remained as manager until September of 2009.
Upon receiving the President’s Award Andrew stated, “being the OKFirst Program Manager and working with emergency management and public safety
across the state is by far the most rewarding work I’ve ever done. It has been exciting to present training and interact with participants, then to see
results during the next weather event, and it is not just the work, but also the friendships and personal relationships that I hope to maintain.”
Andrew has recently accepted the position of “Research Associate” for the Office of Weather Programs & Projects at Oklahoma University. In the new
position he will “help the university build and foster relationships with international weather partners, working as a Project Manager for individual projects
between university and domestic and international partners.”
As part of his new responsibilities, Andrew has just returned from a trip to Korea during late October and early November, having met with Dr. Ken
Crawford, now the Vice Administrator of the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA). His efforts involved observation of the KMA and work to
enhance their service capabilities. Although only two-thirds the size of the state of Oklahoma, the KMA utilizes close to five-hundred (500) automated
weather monitoring sites.
Andrew expressed his appreciation for having had the opportunity to work with the public safety community in Oklahoma, being treated as “always part
of the family.”
Deke Arndt is now the Chief of the Climate Monitoring Branch at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Ashville, North Carolina. In this position Deke
has a dozen climatologists working under his supervision, reporting on climate status through the collection of data, verification of accuracy and
subsequent reporting activities. Deke described these activities as basically being “the world’s weather and climate library.”
Of Deke’s OKFirst memories, workshop and training deliveries are among his favorites. “I thoroughly enjoyed ’evangelizing’ the program and the good
times with Andrew, being on the road with the program.” He describes some of his proudest memories as a testament to forecasters and preparedness
people, when in Oklahoma we went most of a decade without a loss of life to tornado.
Although we certainly miss their spirited interaction and unending support, we wish both Deke and Andrew the best of success in their new endeavors.
Under the direction of Nicole Giuliano, interim Program Director, OKFirst will continue to provide this much-needed capability and we look forward to
working with her and her talented staff for years to come.
Back to OEMA Home Page
OKFirst and the Oklahoma Climate Survey have long been recognized as tremendous resources and supporters of emergency management in
Oklahoma. Beginning in 1997 as part of a U.S. Telecommunications Grant under Dr. Ken Crawford and Dale Morris, the original intent was to enhance
communications infrastructure in rural areas. The tools and capabilities provided through OKFirst have been repeatedly touted as adding value and
credibility to emergency management and public safety offices, while providing much-needed expertise and critical information and decision support in a
timely manner.
Oklahoma public safety officials can certainly not forget the individuals who currently support the program, and those who have worked tirelessly to
provide this important asset and the training to support it since its inception. Among recent OKFirst Program Managers are Deke Arndt and Andrew
Reader, each recipients of the Oklahoma Emergency Management Association’s President’s Award for 2009.
Deke Arndt began with the OKFirst Program in 1998 as an instructor with a focus on fire weather, while Andrew Reader began as a student in 1999. In
2004 Deke became Program Manager and served as such until he and Andrew shared Project Manager duties for about 18 months, followed by
Andrew officially becoming the Project Manager in April of 2007. Andrew remained as manager until September of 2009.
Upon receiving the President’s Award Andrew stated, “being the OKFirst Program Manager and working with emergency management and public safety
across the state is by far the most rewarding work I’ve ever done. It has been exciting to present training and interact with participants, then to see
results during the next weather event, and it is not just the work, but also the friendships and personal relationships that I hope to maintain.”
Andrew has recently accepted the position of “Research Associate” for the Office of Weather Programs & Projects at Oklahoma University. In the new
position he will “help the university build and foster relationships with international weather partners, working as a Project Manager for individual projects
between university and domestic and international partners.”
As part of his new responsibilities, Andrew has just returned from a trip to Korea during late October and early November, having met with Dr. Ken
Crawford, now the Vice Administrator of the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA). His efforts involved observation of the KMA and work to
enhance their service capabilities. Although only two-thirds the size of the state of Oklahoma, the KMA utilizes close to five-hundred (500) automated
weather monitoring sites.
Andrew expressed his appreciation for having had the opportunity to work with the public safety community in Oklahoma, being treated as “always part
of the family.”
Deke Arndt is now the Chief of the Climate Monitoring Branch at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Ashville, North Carolina. In this position Deke
has a dozen climatologists working under his supervision, reporting on climate status through the collection of data, verification of accuracy and
subsequent reporting activities. Deke described these activities as basically being “the world’s weather and climate library.”
Of Deke’s OKFirst memories, workshop and training deliveries are among his favorites. “I thoroughly enjoyed ’evangelizing’ the program and the good
times with Andrew, being on the road with the program.” He describes some of his proudest memories as a testament to forecasters and preparedness
people, when in Oklahoma we went most of a decade without a loss of life to tornado.
Although we certainly miss their spirited interaction and unending support, we wish both Deke and Andrew the best of success in their new endeavors.
Under the direction of Nicole Giuliano, interim Program Director, OKFirst will continue to provide this much-needed capability and we look forward to
working with her and her talented staff for years to come.
Back to OEMA Home Page
