Managing Nature’s Moods – reducing the risk from extreme weather.

by

Gerald Fleming, MSc., Met Êireann

Thursday 25th October 2007, Botany Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin

Contents:

The talk will examine the prevalence of natural hazards, and outline how most natural disasters are of meteorological origin. It will consider how preparedness can help to ensure that hazards do not become disasters, through active community planning and preparation. The talk will consider whether Ireland could cope with a significant natural hazard, and will make some proposals as to how, as a community, we might improve our preparedness for such an eventuality.

WMO Work

Gerald Fleming is familiar to the Irish public through his appearances presenting weather on RTE. Less well-known is his work with the World Meteorological Organisation where he Chairs the Public Weather Services Programme. This Programme aims to maximise the social and economic benefit of meteorological science to Society by enhancing the links between producers and users of meteorological services. The Programme encompasses the areas of presentation, service delivery, quality management, and the improvement of weather-related products and services offered to society. It has a special emphasis on Public Education as a means to improve the successful management of weather hazards.

Biog:

Gerald Fleming took out B.Sc and M.Sc degrees in Experimental Physics in UCD before joining Met Éireann in 1980. He has worked in forecasting for the past 27 years; is Deputy Head of the forecast office and leader of the TV Weather Team in RTÉ. He is a past Chairman of the International Association of Broadcast Meteorology and was Co-Chair of the First World Conference on Broadcast Meteorology in Barcelona, 2004. A member of the Irish Meteorological Society and the American Meteorological Society, he is also active in the European Meteorological Society where he is Co-Chair of the Media Committee. Outside of Meteorology he is a past Chair of Wexford Arts Centre and active also in Wexford Swimming Club. He is a member of Wexford Wine Circle (where he has avoided the call of the Chair to focus on the pleasures of the Table).