NWS Incident Meteorologists: what I learned from a recent webinar

 I am able to follow some basic information about the deployment of National Weather Service (NWS) Incident Meteorologists (IMETs)  thanks to following NWS UMET Operations on Facebook or Twitter. A couple of weeks ago, I saw an open invitation on their social media about a webinar sponsored by the AMS Board of Operational Government Meteorologists (BOGM) on the NWS IMET program. I jumped at the chance to attend. The webinar was last Wednesday afternoon with five IMETs including the leader talking about their work as IMETs. I had two take aways from attending this webinar that I want to share with you.

First, I knew from following IMET operations for the last few years that IMETs are also deployed to incidents that are not U.S. based wildfires or prescribed burns. I knew about the deployment of IMETs to Australia in early 2020 ( see my blog article of January 29, 2020. I wondered what  other non-wildfire assignments IMETs might be sent to. I got an answer from the IMETs at the webinar. Among the assignments mentioned were hurricanes (e.g. Katrina), flooding (e.g. 2013 flooding in Colorado, and the Cheyanne Wyoming Frontier Days (featuring the largest rodeo in the U.S) which takes place during severe weather season. 

Finally, I enjoyed listening to IMETs share on how they work as a team with the incident command team and others on the fire they are assigned to. I was impressed by the team effort in working to put the wildfire out as safely as possible, with the eye towards keeping wildland firefighters on the ground and in the air safe. As I listened to the IMETs share on what being an IMET meant to them, I was struck by how much their service meant to them, and the connection to and support of their “fire family” (IMETs and others in the fire community). At the end of the session, I asked them what is one thing they would like to me to share with my readers about their work as IMETs. I am not sure that my note taking does their responses justice, but I hope you get the idea of what they want you to know. These are their responses:

• dedication to mission
• the most rewarding aspect is seeing what effect my forecast has on fighting the wildfire
• understanding the needs of their partners (e.g. incident command and firefighters)
• being on a fire makes a difference
• we want to be there
• great community, fire family

I offer my profound thanks to all NWS Incident Meteorologists as well as current or future Meteorologists who want to be trained as an IMET. IMETs save lives.