DATE: Thursday, March 27, 1997              TAG: 9703270395

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: MANTEO                            LENGTH:   67 lines

OUTER BANKS, STATE OFFICIALS BRACE TO BATTLE HURRICANE CENTER CUTS

Outer Banks emergency management officials say they may ask the federal government to rescind proposed personnel cuts at the National Hurricane Center.

They contend the reduction in staff could slow the center's processing of information needed locally to deal with major storms.

Geneva Perry, chairwoman of the Dare County Control Group and a member of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, said Wednesday there is a great deal of uncertainty over what areas will be slashed.

``I'm very concerned about it,'' Perry said. ``It was discussed this past week at the Governor's Hurricane Conference in Atlantic Beach. Governor (James B.) Hunt has written to the Department of Commerce asking them not to make these cuts.''

Perry said the Dare County Board of Commissioners probably will discuss the issue at its next meeting.

``I would think that we would draft a letter in support of what the governor has done.''

Perry said North Carolina officials are confused because while the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration is slated to receive a large budget boost, the National Hurricane Center is on the budgetary chopping block.

``No one at the conference seemed to understand why this is being done,'' Perry said. ``One of the areas we do understand will be cut is in reconnaissance flyovers. They are supposed to be cut in half. But right now, we're really not sure what areas will be cut back.''

But no matter where the cuts come, she said, they will affect local storm trackers.

``Those cuts will eventually filter down to a local level because the National Hurricane Center has always been our primary source for information,'' said Dare County Emergency Management Spokesman Ray Sturza. ``We rely on regular conference calls to provide us with updated information. With less staff, we're concerned that we won't have the access to forecasters that we've had in the past.''

The National Weather Service last week announced the proposed cuts of the staffs at the hurricane center's Miami office, as well as the service's Texas regional office.

The cuts, however, are not expected to affect the accuracy of hurricane tracking.

``They'll still have the computer technology to track storms, so it won't really impact accuracy,'' Sturza said. ``But it will impact the timeliness of the information we receive.''

Sturza said local storm trackers project the path of hurricanes 36, 24, 12 and 6 hours ahead of the expected landfall, based on forecast models provided by the center.

``These cuts may affect our ability to talk to a person who's familiar with the model,'' Sturza said.

Dare County Emergency Management Director Sandy Sanderson said it is too early to tell what impact the proposed cuts will have.

``Right now, any comment would be premature,'' Sanderson said. ``I don't know where the cuts are going to be made. If they cut forecasters, that would affect us one way. If they cut maritime information staff, that will impact that information. The hurricane center runs advisories every six hours, and if the cuts are in that area, it could affect the continuity we have. but right now, I just have pieces of information. I don't have the whole picture.''

Currituck County Emergency Services Director Donnie L. Beacham also wants to gather more information on the proposed cuts.

``I've heard a lot of rumors,'' Beacham said. ``But right now, we're not sure where there are going to be cuts. Until that happens, we won't know what we'll do.''

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