Commercial fisherman Pietro Parravano was recognized for his volunteer work for the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
when he was given the NOAA's Environmental Hero Award at a June 30 ceremony in San Francisco.
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"It shows that by the fishermen and National Weather Service working together we can provide an extra margin of safety for emergency preparedness programs on land," Parravano said.
He has formed relationships within the weather service and created special committees of fishermen and meteorologists to discuss plans for bringing fishermen accurate and critical weather information.
"His input helped us focus the research on what we could do better for the fishermen," said Dave Reynolds, meteorologist in charge of the San Francisco Bay Forecast Office.
Parravano's volunteer work has been dedicated to the safety of people on land and his fellow fishermen. He says that his success proves that a federal agency like the National Weather Service can engage the fishermen in a meaningful, helpful manner.
The NWS also has much to gain from fishermen and their real-time experiences on the
ocean. The No. 1 weather disaster in California
is flooding. And with fishing boats out on the water constantly, they can determine wind and wave height, which can be integrated with buoy readings and satellite information, Parravano said.
"Especially in time of storms, they want to be able to prepare any land areas," he added. Parravano is excited to know that with his help, local agencies can reduce flooding impacts by evacuating people before these storms hit land.
Reynolds, of NWS, and Martin Ralph, of NOAA, worked together to submit Parravano's nomination. For the past nine years, the Environmental Hero Award has been presented to individuals and organizations that volunteer their time to help NOAA carry out its mission.
"It shows when people can work together with great common goals," Parravano said.
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