NPS Receiving Storm Ready certification. (Left to Right: JT Johnson/WDT, Stephanie Siewert/WDT, Rick Smith/NWS and Darry Stacy/NPS Board President

After a comprehensive application process that began after Norman experienced a tornado at the end of the school day in spring 2012, NPS has been certified by the National Weather Service (NWS) as “Storm Ready.” Nationwide, only 2,000 sites – which include communities, schools, universities, etc. – have been certified by the NWS as Storm Ready.

Rick Smith, a warning coordination meteorologist with the NWS, said the certification is signifi-cant for NPS.

“As we’ve seen in recent years, it’s not a question of if we’ll be dealing with hazardous weather, it’s a question of when,” he said. “We believe that the strengthened partnership be-tween Norman Public Schools and the National Weather Service will make a positive difference the next time we have to deal with dangerous storms.”

NPS Assistant Superintendent Dr. Roger Brown said he worked with the Norman-based Weather Decision Technologies (WDT) housed on the University of Oklahoma campus to apply for the NWS’ comprehensive Storm Ready certification. He said it was actually WDT who approached NPS with the opportunity.

“We worked closely with WDT’s Stephanie Siewert on the application process and it involved de-vising a strategic plan from the district level to each and every school site of the specific individu-als and actions that would be taken in the event of extreme weather,” he said. “Having a detailed plan of the procedures that are to be taken and by whom they are to be taken in the event of dan-gerous weather, and to have that reviewed by experts in the field, is extremely valuable to a school district.”

The NWS established Storm Ready certification in 1999 to help communities and organizations with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property before and during extreme weather. According to NWS’ Web site, Storm Ready communities and organizations are “better prepared to save lives from the onslaught of severe weather through advanced planning, education and awareness.”

WDT’s chief technology officer, JT Johnson, said he and Siewart were pleased to work with NPS on the Storm Ready certification and, along with Smith, present the Board of Education with the certification at its most recent meeting Nov. 19. “Weather Decision Technologies recognizes that our clients are concerned about having thorough plans for severe weather response and the NWS’ StormReady certification provides a great frame-work for that preparedness,” he said. “We felt it important to work with NPS to establish the dis-trict as a StormReady Supporter in conjunction with the support and services that we are providing the district to keep students, faculty and staff safe in severe weather situations.”

iMap, the best interactive weather map on the web, takes mapping to a new level utilizing services provided by MapBox

iMapPro Lightning on Mapbox

NORMAN, OK / WASHINGTON, D.C. , September 6, 2012 – Weather industry leader Weather Decision Technologies®, Inc. (WDT) has partnered with MapBox to bring fast, innovative base mapping to the premier iMap® line of interactive weather products. Rollout began this week and new maps arrive on hundreds of local media and enterprise sites using iMap today.

iMap, WDT’s best-in-class interactive weather map, provides the world’s most advanced online weather experiences for your website. The MapBox platform supports fully customizable cartography while at the same time, delivering rapid-loading map tiles with reliable, scalable technology. MapBox is the clear choice for delivering high-end mapping for WDT’s premium iMap service to our customers.

Detailed MapBox mapping features:

• Customized street, satellite and terrain base maps to provide stunning visual display of overlaid weather layers
• Stylized labels, roads, borders, and other overlays giving the best interactive weather mapping experience on the web
• Scalable map delivery via distributed edge servers with redundant failover for reliability
• SSL support for secure serving situations

The iMap suite of products, featuring iMap5, iMapPro, and iMapMobile will still offer the same exclusive weather layer options, high quality Level II radar, global weather information, live storm chaser feeds, hurricane threat assessment and local forecasts.

“The combination of WDT’s fast weather data combined with speedy maps from MapBox results in an absolutely stunning product,” says Eric Gundersen, CEO of MapBox. “This is an exciting partnership. We’re working together to deliver our maps to hundreds of media outlets across the world and starting to collaborate around interface design to build a new generation of weather maps.”

“At WDT we’re excited to bring this unrivaled innovation to our customers,” says Steve Gallien, Sr. Vice President of Special Projects. “Not only will this partnership open up new opportunities for customization, great design and secure performance; the MapBox and WDT collaboration will bring the exclusive iMap experience to users who can take full advantage of JavaScript and HTML5.”

About MapBox®

MapBox is a platform for designing fast and beautiful maps. Its cloud cloud distribution platform is proven to scale with subscribers from social networks like foursquare.com, to media outlets like NPR, to government agencies like USAID, the FCC, and the WhiteHouse. Corporate website: MapBox.com

About Weather Decision Technologies® (WDT)

Founded in 2000, Weather Decision Technologies is a high technology leader in the weather industry, providing life-safety applications and weather decision support services and systems to our partners and customers. WDT’s iMap services provide dynamic, web-based and mobile interactive mapping solutions for the world’s leading local media companies. WDT maintains operational offices in Norman, Oklahoma, and Atlanta, Georgia. Corporate websites: WDTinc.com, WeatherOps.com and WeatherForensics.com.

An outsourced expert weather team designed to safeguard attendees, assets and artists.

NORMAN, OK – September 5, 2012 – The 2012 Heart Tour, has engaged the services of Weather Decision Technologies®, Inc. (WDT), an Event Safety Alliance corporate sponsor, to provide event-specific meteorological data under its event venue safety model, WeatherOps®. As an outsourced expert weather team designed to safeguard attendees, assets and artists, WeatherOps utilizes proprietary data assimilation and forecast generation to steer venue and production management during times of adverse weather.

The band’s tour celebrates the October 2nd release of their much anticipated new album, “Fanatic.” During this tour, Heart concert venues will be closely monitored for extraordinary weather events, employing WeatherOps exclusive color-coded system by which decisions regarding tour events, in relation to weather, will be made. In addition to adverse weather, production crews will receive daily updates regarding the forecast in the next tour stop, up to 7 days in advance.

“Outdoor events are a staple of the concert industry during the summer season and of Heart’s business specifically. Safety has always been a priority to us and we’re excited to be in a position to work with the professionals at WDT on the critical production elements of weather preparedness and action planning,” says Bill Cracknell, Heart Tour Manager. “If there’s one thing recent events should have taught us, it’s that this isn’t a job for amateur or part-time meteorologists, or for generalized models. We’re thrilled to be an early adopter of this advanced safety model and we hope our participation will increase visibility in the industry as a whole.”

WDT’s WeatherOps team directly supports touring artists, venue managers and production companies, varying the information disseminated based on the specific need of each client. Forecasts and alerts are provided to the client via internet, SMS, mobile apps, mobile push alerts and direct phone access to a Meteorologist 24/7.

About Heart

Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson first showed the world that women can rock when their band, Heart, stormed the charts in the ’70′s with hits like “Crazy on You,” “Magic Man,” “Barracuda,” “Straight On,” and so many more. Not only did the Wilson sisters lead the band, they wrote the songs and played the instruments too, making them the first women in rock to do so. Nearly 35 years after their first big hit, Ann and Nancy Wilson were back in the Billboard Top 10 in 2010 with Heart’s “Red Velvet Car” album, and a Top 5 DVD (“Night at Sky Church”). 2012 will bring Heart fans a brand new album (“Fanatic”), and their first-ever autobiography (“Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul and Rock & Roll”). Heart is currently on a 50 city tour.

About the Event Safety Alliance (ESA)

A wide-ranging group of industry veterans came together to form the Event Safety Alliance. These individuals include staging and temporary structure manufacturers and engineers, event safety and security directors, artist production managers, private meteorological services, equipment manufacturers, industry safety training directors, event riggers, venue managers, industry standards writers, industry insurance professionals and industry attorneys. Organization website: eventsafetyalliance.org

About Weather Decision Technologies® (WDT)

Founded in 2000, Weather Decision Technologies is a high technology leader in the weather industry, providing life-safety applications and weather decision support services and systems to our partners and customers. WDT’s iMap® services provide dynamic, web-based and mobile interactive mapping solutions for the world’s leading local media companies. WDT maintains operational offices in Norman, Oklahoma, and Atlanta, Georgia. Corporate websites: wdtinc.com, weatherops.com and weatherforensics.com.

NORMAN, OK – August 23, 2012 – The 2012 Linkin Park World Tour is the first concert tour to be deemed “Storm Ready” by the National Weather Service. The StormReady program recognizes organizations with superior communication and safety skills before, during, and after severe weather. This effort is supported by the services of Weather Decision Technologies®, Inc. (WDT), an Event Safety Alliance corporate sponsor, to provide event-specific meteorological data under its event venue safety model, WeatherOps®.

The StormReady program is designed to enhance an organization’s awareness, preparedness, response, recovery, emergency public notification, and public education related to hazardous weather events. In the process it also enhances the overall emergency management plan, increasing the safety of individuals at all levels and phases of significant emergencies and disasters.

In the aftermath of the weather-related tragedies that occurred in Indianapolis and the Netherlands in 2011, Linkin Park Production Manager, Jim Digby, sought consultation from National Weather Service and WeatherOps meteorologists to establish early warning systems and procedures to help ensure the safety of fans, band & crew in the event of severe weather during the current Honda Civic Tour featuring Linkin Park and Incubus.

“It is vital to have an emergency preparedness plan in place when dealing with large venue events,” says Rick Smith, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service Norman Forecast Office. “Receiving the StormReady designation illustrates the concert tour’s proactive approach to weather-related hazards and we have confidence that this accomplishment will establish a trend in the industry as a whole.”

WDT’s WeatherOps team directly supports touring artists, venue managers and production companies, varying the information disseminated based upon precise weather triggers and the specific needs of each client. Forecasts and alerts are provided to key personnel via internet, SMS, mobile apps, mobile push alerts and direct phone access to a Meteorologist 24/7. WeatherOps boasts the highest resolution weather models in the industry, backed by a staff of 75, of which 35 hold Masters to PhD level credentials.

About Linkin Park

LINKIN PARK is a Grammy-Award-winning, multi-platinum alternative rock band comprised of lead vocalist, Chester Bennington, drummer/percussionist, Rob Bourdon, guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave ‘Phoenix’ Farrell, DJ, programmer Joe Hahn and Mike Shinoda – lead vocals, keyboards, guitar. The band has sold over 50 million albums worldwide, and is the biggest band on Facebook – with over 43 million fans and counting. In the span of time since 2000, when Linkin Park debuted on the Billboard 200 – no other artist has had more top 10 singles on the Alternative chart and, with the release of their latest album, LIVING THINGS (Machine Shop Recordings /Warner Bros), which reached #1 in over 20 countries, no other band has achieved more #1 albums this century. In 2005, Linkin Park founded Music For Relief, a 501 © (3) non-profit organization that has raised over 5 million dollars for victims of natural disasters and environmental projects. www.linkinpark.com

About Weather Decision Technologies®

Founded in 2000, Weather Decision Technologies is a high technology leader in the weather industry, providing life-safety applications and weather decision support services and systems to our partners and customers. WDT’s iMap® services provide dynamic, web-based and mobile interactive mapping solutions for the world’s leading local media companies. WDT maintains operational offices in Norman, Oklahoma, and Atlanta, Georgia. Corporate websites: wdtinc.com and weatherops.com.

Read Article 

Recognizing that each outdoor event is unique, WeatherOps saw the need for a Green, Yellow, and Red status alert system to be put in place. ESA then developed a matrix decision system encompassing the triggers and status alerts. “The time to make these decisions is in green status, not later,” states Jim Digby, Tour Manager for Linkin Park and founder of Event Safety Alliance.

Read the full article here: Page 10 and 11.

About Mobile Production Pro – Monthly

Like its predecessor, Tour Guide Journal, this publication focuses primarily on issues affecting life on the road and provides information on new products and services, now with an expanded scope of coverage.

You can download issues of mobile Production monthly and Tour Guide Journal here.

About Linkin Park

Linkin Park is a Grammy-Award-winning, multi-platinum alternative rock band comprised of lead vocalist, Chester Bennington, drummer/percussionist, Rob Bourdon, guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave ‘Phoenix’ Farrell, DJ, programmer Joe Hahn and Mike Shinoda – lead vocals, keyboards, guitar. The band has sold over 50 million albums worldwide, and had four #1 albums on the Billboard 200. Linkin Park is the biggest band on Facebook – with over 40 million fans and counting, and has received over 850,000,000 YouTube views. In 2005, Linkin Park founded Music For Relief, a 501c3 non-profit organization that has raised over 5 million dollars for victims of natural disasters. The band is currently gearing up to release their fifth studio album, LIVING THINGS (Machine Shop Recordings / Warner Bros) on June 26, 2012. Rolling Stone magazine says, “The material is the bands most powerful since its megahit 2000 debut.”

About Event Safety Alliance

A wide-ranging group of industry veterans came together to form the Event Safety Alliance. These individuals include staging and temporary structure manufacturers and engineers, event safety and security directors, artist production managers, private meteorological services, equipment manufacturers, industry safety training directors, event riggers, venue managers, industry standards writers, industry insurance professionals and industry attorneys. Organization website: eventsafetyalliance.org

About Weather Decision Technologies

Founded in 2000, Weather Decision Technologies has become a global leader in providing state-of-the-science weather detection, nowcasting, and forecasting systems and services to our partners and customers. WDT’s iMap services provide dynamic, web-based and mobile interactive mapping solutions for the world’s leading local media companies. WDT is headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma. Corporate websites: wdtinc.com, weatherops.com andweatherforensics.com.

NORMAN, OK, May 15, 2012 – The 2012 Linkin Park World Tour, has engaged the services of Weather Decision Technologies®, Inc. (WDT), an Event Safety Alliance corporate Sponsor, to provide event-specific meteorological data under its event venue safety model, WeatherOps. As an outsourced expert weather team designed to safeguard attendees, assets and artists, WeatherOps utilizes proprietary data assimilation and forecast generation to steer venue and production management during times of adverse weather.

The band’s tour begins May 18th to celebrate the release of their much anticipated new album, “Living Things.” During this tour, Linkin Park outdoor venues worldwide will be closely monitored for extraordinary weather events, employing WeatherOps exclusive color-coded system by which decisions regarding tour events, in relation to weather, will be made. In addition to adverse weather, production crews will receive daily updates regarding the forecast in the next tour stop, up to 7 days in advance.

“It’s our belief that this technology will help to protect our artists, their fans and those involved with the safe execution of our shows.” said Jim Digby, Linkin Park World Tour Manager. “Instant access to a Meteorologist who is in tune with our specific event, date, and time proves invaluable from a protection and a financial standpoint,” said Digby.

WDT’s WeatherOps team directly supports touring artists, venue managers and production companies, varying the information disseminated based on the specific need of each client. Forecasts and alerts are provided to the client via internet, SMS, mobile apps, mobile push alerts and direct phone access to a Meteorologist 24/7. WeatherOps boasts the highest resolution weather models in the industry, backed by a staff of 75, of which 35 hold Masters to PhD level credentials.

“This is an exciting opportunity for the WeatherOps portion of our business. High profile productions such as Linkin Park require a comprehensive alerting and forecast package and we’re thrilled to have them onboard for their 2012 World Tour,” said Mike Eilts, President & CEO of WDT.

About Linkin Park

Linkin Park is a Grammy-Award-winning, multi-platinum alternative rock band comprised of lead vocalist, Chester Bennington, drummer/percussionist, Rob Bourdon, guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave ‘Phoenix’ Farrell, DJ, programmer Joe Hahn and Mike Shinoda – lead vocals, keyboards, guitar. The band has sold over 50 million albums worldwide, and had four #1 albums on the Billboard 200. Linkin Park is the biggest band on Facebook – with over 40 million fans and counting, and has received over 850,000,000 YouTube views. In 2005, Linkin Park founded Music For Relief, a 501c3 non-profit organization that has raised over 5 million dollars for victims of natural disasters. The band is currently gearing up to release their fifth studio album, LIVING THINGS (Machine Shop Recordings / Warner Bros) on June 26, 2012. Rolling Stone magazine says, “The material is the bands most powerful since its megahit 2000 debut.”

About Event Safety Alliance

A wide-ranging group of industry veterans came together to form the Event Safety Alliance. These individuals include staging and temporary structure manufacturers and engineers, event safety and security directors, artist production managers, private meteorological services, equipment manufacturers, industry safety training directors, event riggers, venue managers, industry standards writers, industry insurance professionals and industry attorneys. Organization website: eventsafetyalliance.org

About Weather Decision Technologies

Founded in 2000, Weather Decision Technologies has become a global leader in providing state-of-the-science weather detection, nowcasting, and forecasting systems and services to our partners and customers. WDT’s iMap services provide dynamic, web-based and mobile interactive mapping solutions for the world’s leading local media companies. WDT is headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma. Corporate websites: wdtinc.com, weatherops.com andweatherforensics.com.

Mike Eilts, WDT President & CEO,
receiving StormReady Accreditation

Setting a precedent for customers and peers in the weather industry

NORMAN, OK – May 8, 2012 – Weather Decision Technologies®, Inc. (WDT), a global leader in providing state-of-the-science alerting, and forecasting services announced today, the achievement of being awarded the prestigious StormReady® Supporter designation from the National Weather Service (NWS). WDT becomes one of only several corporations in the State of Oklahoma to earn this designation. StormReady Supporters promote the principles and guidelines of the NWS’ StormReady program into their severe weather safety and awareness plans.

To earn the designation, WDT had to meet a number of requirements attached to communications, receipt of NWS information, monitoring of local weather conditions, dissemination of warnings to employees and preparedness. After those requirements were met, a StormReady verification team conducted a site visit to review the WDT hazardous weather plan and verify that the company’s procedures aligned with NWS’ StormReady guidelines.

“As a weather information company we are always developing and enhancing services and tools that keep our customers informed of weather hazards so they can make decisions that keep them safe. Even though we are constantly monitoring the weather ourselves, and have always had a plan to keep our employees safe, we decided to formalize that plan and apply to be a “StormReady Supporter.” said Mike Eilts, President and CEO of WDT. “Achieving this certification is important to us because it shows that we have a well thought through plan to keep our employees and visitors safe during hazardous weather; but just as importantly, we are making a statement and setting a precedent for our customers. We believe strongly that everyone should have a formal StormReady plan.

Ninety percent of all presidentially declared disasters are weather related. Through the StormReady program, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service gives communities and corporations the skills and education needed to survive severe weather – before and during the event. StormReady helps community leaders and emergency managers strengthen their local hazardous weather operations.

About Weather Decision Technologies

Founded in 2000, Weather Decision Technologies has become a global leader in providing state-of-the-science weather detection, nowcasting, and forecasting systems and services to our partners and customers. WDT’s iMap services provide dynamic, web-based and mobile interactive mapping solutions for the world’s leading local media companies. WDT maintains operational offices in Norman, Oklahoma, and Atlanta, Georgia. Corporate websites:wdtinc.com, weatherops.com and weatherforensics.com.

Full-Service Solution Provides Safeguards for Employees, Assets, and Bottom Lines

NORMAN, OK – August, 2011 – Weather Decision Technologies, Inc., a global leader in providing state-of-the-science weather detection, alerting, and forecasting systems, today announced WeatherOps, a full-service solution designed to help protect human resources, assets, and the overall profitability of companies whenever they are faced with severe weather events and potential disruption to their businesses.

According to Forrester Research, weather is the leading source of business disruption for Fortune 1000 companies across the world.

WeatherOps is powered by WDT, one of the United States’ most powerful weather companies, enhancing the expertise of highly talented weather forecasters and WDT’s global weather technology platforms. WeatherOps offers a compelling solution for the world’s Fortune 100 companies. Customers include a larger and mid-sized companies in a broad array of vertical markets ranging from energy companies, to financial institutions to retail, hospitality, construction and more.

“Regardless of the nature of your business, if you have personnel, multiple facilities or locations and clients who depend on you, you run the risk of letting severe weather dismantle your profits, your reputation, and your ability to be there for those who need your services or products,” said Mike Eilts, President and CEO of Weather Decision Technologies, Inc. “You can minimize those risks and increase your bottom line by deploying WeatherOps services, which will always be watching out for you,” said Eilts

“WeatherOps provides your company with a reliable weather service, you were able to take appropriate actions, such as front-loading supplies, shifting production to less vulnerable facilities and taking the needed steps to safeguard your employees and property,” said Eilts. “We are helping to ensure that you are never surprised by the weather, wherever you have business interest.”

WeatherOps is supported by a team of high level forecasters and meteorological consultants, who are dedicated to the businesses they serve on a 24x7x365 basis, helping companies make timely decisions to protect their assets and employees, mitigate loss, and enhance business continuity. The solutions also includes client access to a host of alerting and monitoring solutions, including WDT’s award winning portfolio of iMap® geo-mapping, alerting, interactive, and mobile technologies.

Pricing and Availability

The WeatherOps’ total weather solution has already been implemented by major corporations in the energy, financial, retail, healthcare, hospitality and restaurant, construction, marine, and many other vertical markets for companies large and small.

About Weather Decision Technologies

WDT is a leader in providing value-added weather content, geo-mapping solutions and mobile alerting applications to their customers. The company counts as clients most of the United States’ leading weather services and interactive media outlets, as well as governmental, industrial and military weather customers from all over the world. Founded in 2000, WDT has been awarded Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000 status five times after experiencing 80 percent annual growth during its first four years and continued rapid growth in the past few years.