a. Be a member of the emergency management (EM) community.
NWS defines the EM community as Public safety officials who serve as employees or contract agents of a government agency at the federal,
state, local, tribal, or territorial level and are charged with protecting the public from hazards that are influenced by weather
or weather-related events. In select cases, with approval of NWS local management and as resources allow, NWS may provide similar
support for organizations which are not formally government agencies, but which employ personnel who routinely exercise authority
equivalent to the public safety officials described above, particularly those who serve vulnerable populations. Examples include the
emergency management function of primary/secondary schools, colleges/universities, and hospitals/long-term care facilities. With
approval of NWS management, NWS offices providing Impact-based Decision Support Services (IDSS) may extend support to these
organizations. Other members of this community include local SKYWARN® Coordinators and Net Control Operators, and others who
serve in these capacities, such as Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES).