Damage Path Tool

Fig. 1 Damage Path Tool with tornado tracks created from baselines A and B.

Training Job Sheets (click on "html" for web page layout with image links or "PDF" for PDF viewing with images embedded with instruction)

Jobsheets are extension of the Damage Path Tool Training (LMS - Internet; speaker notes PDF).
- Jobsheet 1: Create Tornado Damage Path from Baselines (html, PDF)
- Jobsheet 2: Create Damage Path from Generic Box (html, PDF)

Overview

Create damage path polygons with comments for Preliminary Tornado, Significant Wind Damage, Hail, Flood, Extreme Ice/Snow, and Other Man-Made/Natural Hazard and distribute to the DAT server (FEMA) or to your local web page
General workflow
- Create a polygon using DPT (simple box or a tornado path from a baseline)
- Set properties to assign Hazard Type, Name, Event Time, and Comments (<500 characters)
- Export to LDAD (FEMA) or export to a file to share with your local EMs, etc.
  - requires AWIPS Focal Point to check out DamagePathToDat from the SCP

Refresher Commands

Loading - select Damage Path from Tools menu
Right-Click on CAVE Editor with Damage Path Loaded
- Add Polygon - adds a polygon to the display
Right-Click on Polygon
- Add Vertex - adds vertex (can also just middle click on polygon line)
- Delete Polygon - deletes DPT polygon (warning: if not saved as a file you can't get it back)
- Set Properties - select Hazard Type and specify Name, Event Time, and Comments
Right-Click on Damage Path
- New Tornado Path From Baseline - select baseline to use to create default tornado polygon that assigns width according to uncertainty from radar range
  - requires Damage Path (Editable) - middle click on Damage Path text legend to make Editable
- Export to LDAD - sends all damage paths in display to LDAD to be pushed to the DAT server for FEMA (comments must be < 500 characters)
- Export to File - saves geojson file for local distribution (email/website) for local EMs, etc.
- Import from File - loads a saved file
- Change Color - changes color of display in CAVE (not included in distributed product)

Usage Tips

For tornado paths
- trace vortex in radar data using vertices in a baseline
- set your home (from Tools menu) to be your radar location
- make Damage Path legend text editable
- select baseline from right click and selecting New Tornado Path from Baseline
- remember tracks should be wider at longer ranges due to uncertainty in position increasing with range from the radar
  - the "New Tornado Path From Baseline" menu option does does this for you
Comments for tracks exported to the DAT server must be less than 500 characters due to DAT server limitation
Coordinate with local management to assess when to use, staffing, and coordinating with stakeholders before creating damage path products

Limitations

Effective products require preparation, staffing, and coordinating with stakeholders
DAT server will truncate comments to 500 characters, so keep it short

Configuration/Supplemental Information (AWIPS Focal Point)

The Damage Path Tool option to "Export to LDAD" will not work by default with a 16.2.2 installation. Your AWIPS Focal Point will need to check out the DamagePathToDat program from the SCP (very easy install).

Contact