Ticker for December 13, 2001

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
December 13, 2001  December 13, 2001  December 13, 2001  December 13, 2001


OCS Outreach Program One of Nation's Top 5 Innovative Govt Programs

Congratulations to OCS's OK-FIRST program, which today received the
prestigious Innovations in Government Award from Harvard University's
Kennedy School of Government and the Ford Foundation.  OK-FIRST is
the public safety / emergency management component of the OCS Outreach
Group.  Through OK-FIRST, emergency management personnel are
empowered to make more effective decisions involving weather, climate
and environmental threats.  Its graduates have saved lives during
severe weather outbreaks and wildfires since 1996.

Congratulations again from the entire Ticker staff.  An OCS blurb
follows:

The Institute for Government Innovation at Harvard University's
John F. Kennedy School of Government announced that the OK-First
Program, an OCS initiative, has won a distinguished 2001 Innovations
in American Government Award and a $100,000 prize. Established in
1996, OK-First empowers local public safety agencies to make life-
saving decisions based on up-to-the-minute weather data. With access
to this timely information, emergency management teams can close
roads and bridges before they become dangerous, alert rescue crews
about storm movements, and take other proactive measures to ensure
public safety during severe weather.


It's COLD Out There!

Maybe Oklahoma's "mainlanders" didn't notice, but it got downright cold
this morning in the panhandle.  The Kenton Mesonet station registered a
low of 7 F, while Boise City checked in with a balmy 12 F.

Point of reference, however: One year ago today, Medford recorded a low
of 3 F.