Special Weather Report

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Greetings elves of Sector 5,

As we continue to work here at North Pole Flight Command (without a Regional Tracking Center to our name), I’ve been asked to put forth a special request.

Test flight planners are looking for forecasted bad weather within Sector 5 around the middle of September. I know it might be hard to find, and that there are no guarantees, but if you could use our standard weather report to share any information from your area about possible storms of any kind starting around September 15th they would appreciate knowing about it.

Right now they don’t know for sure what direction the test flights will take starting this weekend but it could be towards our sector if there is active weather.

The test flights are entering a critical phase and they need BAD weather to test things completely, at least that’s what I’m hearing.

As for the latest on a Regional Tracking Center for us, I have no new news. I hear that Elf Roger Star is back in Canada this week talking to some people, however.

If there is news with that I will, of course, share it as soon as possible.

Thanks, Elves!

The Natural Disaster Report

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Greetings from Japan, where we have been in operation at the Regional Tracking Center here for Sector 1 for over a month now.

Things are going well but it is an interesting period in Japan. There have been a number of earthquakes and now we’re under storm watch.

Natural disasters can and do happen in many parts of the world. They come in different forms. Every sector has some sort of natural disaster taking place right now.

What do we do in the event of a natural disaster that affects us or that we think might affect Santa?

If we can safely do so we report it via the Natural Disaster Report.

It is one of those reports we only use rarely and, frankly, it is a report we don’t ever really want to use.

Recently I have reviewed this report with the entire team at the Regional Tracking Center here in Otaru. We have had to train on how to receive and process such reports as well as learn to send them ourselves.

I think it would be wise for each of you to review it.

You never know when it might be needed.

Elf Engagement

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Yesterday I shared with you some very big numbers. Today, sadly, I’m going to share something just the opposite – a very small number.

One of the things we measure is something we call Elf Engagement. It is a number that estimates how many of our active elves – both North Pole elves and Freelance elves – who engage with the official North Pole websites (such as this one).

Right now, that number is super low.

And it makes sense that it would be. More than 125 days remains until Santa launches, it’s summer in some places, winter in others, and people are busy doing regular life stuff.

But, as you would expect, with the calendar soon to turn to September, you’d think elf engagement would rise.

After all, the News Department at the North Pole is busy publishing news on SantaUpdate.com, SantaTrackers.net, and NorthPoleFlightCommand.com.

All of these sites have now been around for years. And do you know what the Elf Engagement number is? Look at these numbers:

August – 0.034%
September – 5.2%
October – 13.2%
November – 21.1%
December 1-15th – 56.3%
December 16th-24th – 98.4%

Shocking isn’t it?

On the other hand, isn’t elf life just grand? What other kind of job out there lets you check out for most of the year and not get fired?

Yeah, Santa’s not going to fire you.

But I think Elf Engagement is something Santa will be talking about a little bit this weekend.

Again, this is just my opinion, but I think that number can really improve. In fact, I think it needs to. But that’s me, your little bean counter elf. It’s in my nature to always want to see a better number.

Is it bad that engagement among elves on official North Pole websites is so low until the last few days before Santa’s flight?

I will let Santa answer that question.

In the meantime, I think it is good if you ask a question of yourself:

Am I a good elf? Am I a year round elf? If Santa needed my help at any time other than the last few days before Christmas, would I be ready to help him?

That’s all for today, elves. Don’t answer those questions out loud. Just ask them of yourself, okay?

Freelance Tracker Elves

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As you know there are two kinds of tracker elves: there are North Pole Elves, which are members of this community. And there are freelance tracker elves, who are not members of this community.

There are many reasons people have for not becoming North Pole Elves. Some are younger, still in school and their parents don’t want them having a login here. We understand that. Some are happy just living where they are and never want to come to the North Pole. We understand that too.

But for whatever the reason a person chooses to become a freelance elf or a North Pole elf is not important to Santa.

There are many, many more freelance tracker elves than there are North Pole elves. Here is what we count as active freelance elves in every sector as of today:

Sector 1: 1,284,312
Sector 2: 451,013
Sector 3: 9,442,109
Sector 4: 5,007,418
Sector 5: 24,340,110

That’s a lot of elves.

But here’s the problem: the freelance tracker elves are entirely independent. There are many who are very good elves. There are others who are very part time and don’t even show up until just days before Santa’s flight.

This makes managing what they report very difficult for North Pole Flight Command.

Why are we telling you this?

Well, I think Santa will explain that during his chat. So I won’t spill anything here, especially since it’s just my opinion.

Whether you are a North Pole Elf or a Freelance Tracker Elf does NOT really matter. We hope all elves of every type can join Santa’s chat or at least read what he has to say if they cannot make it at the scheduled time.

Santa has concerns. This may be a very different year tracking Santa for Santa.

I hope you all are paying attention.

Coming Numbers to Follow

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Hello Fellow Elves!

Santa, Elf Crash Murphy and Elf Roger Star met with the Accounting Department last week to discuss a report I sent them some time ago. Based on our discussions in that meeting, I have been charged with sharing with you via SantaTrackers.net some important numbers.

Numbers are a very important part of Operation Merry Christmas, or any other important enterprise. Numbers measure success. They point to action that has to be taken to improve. Nobody goes to watch a sport anywhere without numbers because numbers are how we know who wins. We have all kinds of numbers we follow at the North Pole and we watch them religiously.

Santa wants you to be aware of these statistics BEFORE his chat with you later this month.

Both he and Elf Crash Murphy believe that if you know this data, and understand it, you will be better prepared to do your job as a tracker elf this season.

I’m going to need a few days to put this all together. But what will follow from me will be information about elves, tracker elves, reindeer, sleighs, time, North Pole Flight Command and the North Pole (and by extension, Santa) that may be interesting to you.

I realize some of you, especially younger elves who are new to tracking Santa in this way, may struggle to know what to do with this information. That is why I’m giving you a heads up that this information is coming. We are a community. As you read things that are posted by elves like me it is okay to share that you don’t understand it or that you have questions. Other elves here can help and your Elf Supervisors will also be available to answer your questions and to share what they think the numbers mean.

All of this is designed to help your chat with Santa which is later on this month. (And what hasn’t that been officially posted yet?)

Anyway, my name is Elf Flip Beanz and I’m your number elf. It’s my job to gather and keep this data. I usually send my reports to Santa and other elves like Crash and Roger. But for whatever reason, for the next couple of weeks, they want me to focus on you.

So please know this stuff is coming and that’s it is okay to ask questions about it.

Thank you.

Santa Chat is Scheduled

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Santa Claus is coming to Elf Chat on August 24th at 9am EST.

This long-touted chat is anticipated to bring a lot of elves. Santa has a message for elves everywhere and this is the time slated for him to present it to tracker elves.

Please note that this chat will precede another chat scheduled at 10am EST at SantaUpdate.com with Elf Ernest.

The planning of these chats back to back is on purpose. The North Pole wants elves to attend these chats and to get their questions answered before the season gets underway. It is expected to be a very active season this year as Santa has some special missions lined up.

According to Elf Max, the chat room at SantaTrackers.net has been remodeled and is fully functional. You may want to familiarize yourself with the new set up in advance of the chat.

We hope to see you there.

Weather Reports Needed in Sector 2

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Elves of Sector 2, greetings I send you from India.

It appears that Santa’s sleigh is going to be in our sector for a while. We’re not sure exactly where they are headed.

But from Elf Seymour Snow in the Weather Tracking Department today came a request for local weather reports as soon as possible from all elves in Sector 2.

You know what to do. The report can be found at this link.

That is all that is requested at this time.

Sector 4 Call to Duty

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Hola, Amigos!

Sector 4 is now active with our Regional Tracking Center in Peru. As part of our efforts to get organized, we’d like as many elves as possible in Sector 4 to please do an Elf Status Report.

We’re just trying to get a handle on our numbers.

When last season ended we had roughly 6 million tracker elves in Sector 4. The majority of those were freelance elves. Freelance elves are going to come and go but our North Pole Elves – you guys! – need to be accounted for.

I just need to see how many of you are on the job right now.

We’ll get to other things soon but in my view this is the most important thing we can be doing right now.

So get that in as soon as you can.

Thanks – TR

Regional Tracking Center Update

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Hi elves,

I understand some of you have been writing in to the North Pole very concerned about the Regional Tracking Center for Sector 5. I do have some news to share – a little.

First of all, you should know that for now we are taking up space at North Pole Flight Command and we are fully operational – as if we had our own Regional Tracking Center. We’re in good shape. It’s still very early in the season, of course, but just because we do not yet have an official location doesn’t mean we are not officially working. We are.

Elf Crash Murphy has been busy this week. He has been to Panama, Mexico, the United States and Canada. He has been meeting with several finalist locations and had held several Zoom calls with both Elf Roger Star and with Santa.

While there is nothing yet official to report I understand good progress has been made. Elf Crash will be back online soon to report on the situation personally.

Please understand that no matter when or where they place us we will be ready to move seamlessly from our temporary offices here at North Pole Flight Command – you won’t even notice it when that time does come.

That being said, right now, what we need from you more than anything are weather reports. It is active hurricane season and that is affecting the oceans of the the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico and all countries and island nations that have their shores in those waters.

It’s my understanding that there are presently two storms forming in the Atlantic that we need to keep an eye on.

The test flights of Santa’s sleigh are not presently even in our hemisphere but I don’t know if or when that will change. They’ve already changed course from the Middle East to somewhere now in Sector 2. They could come into our orbit within a day or two.

So if you live in the Caribbean or along the Gulf Coast or in the South Eastern USA keep those weather reports coming.

This is a quickly changing thing, as is normal for this time of year, in our area. Let’s help keep those reindeer and those pilots and those test flight sleighs SAFE!

When I know more of what’s going on with our Regional Tracking Center you elves will be the first to know.

Thank you for your hard work!

Santa Wants to Chat

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I don’t normally post news but I’ve got a busy week that will keep me offline most of this week and I want to at least get this word out there:

Santa wants to chat. With us. In Elf Chat right here on SantaTrackers.net.

Elf Winslow is working the details on this one and we just don’t have it worked out yet. But bookmark the weekend of August 24th and August 25th. I don’t know anything beyond that yet. But I think it’s going to be held that weekend some time. We should know more in a few days.

By now you’ve like heard the news report Frank and I did on North Pole Radio News or read the bit about Santa meeting with groups of elves.

He’s coming for us, guys.

Normally we’re seeking chats with him but this time he’s seeking a chat with us. This is important. Not only is he going to send the message that we shared last night on the radio but he has a few things he wants to tell our group specifically about the months ahead and what we’re in store for. If you can make this chat I hope you will.

In many ways, this is already shaping up to be an interesting year. I can’t help but wonder what Santa’s chat with us will bring us that is new.

There are lots of things going on in the world. Lots of stuff happening now with Operation Merry Christmas.

Things are good in our world. Always remember that. We’re organized, we’re ahead of goal. We need to keep our eyes squarely on Santa and listen to what he has to say later this month.

If you have questions, write them down. Be ready to ask them. Santa has told me he wants to take as much time as is necessary to answer questions in this chat.

So let’s be prepared.

Let’s Roll with the Chimney Inspections

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Elves of Sector 3 – we’re live in Hamburg and already hard at work. After some discussions with Elf Seymour Snow we have determined to begin with Chimney Inspections in Sector 3 right away.

Elf Seymour believes our northern areas especially will see an early winter this year. He projects a window of approximately 8 weeks with predictable weather. I’m taking that as our cue to get this done.

If you’ve never done a chimney inspection before, head on over to this report form to check it out.

Santa does not always use a chimney. When he does, however, we want it to be safe.

Your chimney inspections flow to us here at the Regional Track Center and we use it in the database of information we compile for Santa between now and flight time. Our goal is to fill that database with so much information that Santa could fly in blindfolded and still be able to deliver.

Remember, the more information we can report the fast Santa can go and the safer his delivery will be. These reports are important in Santa being able to complete his mission.

Let’s get to work, elves!

Things are Happening in Sector 5

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I have been getting a few concerned messages from some elves in Sector 5. I want to assure you that even though we don’t yet have our Regional Tracking Center finalized for Sector 5 things are indeed happening.

I think as the month of August comes around next week all tracker elves in every sector will see communication coming from their Elf Supervisor, me included. Just because we’re homeless, so to speak, that doesn’t mean we’re not working. For me, I may be working from a cell phone in my car, but I’ll still be working.

Now, to answer your questions: no, I don’t really know what the hold up with. I just know that we have several cities that can host us and the powers that be are talking to all of them still. We’re going to have a Regional Tracking Center, I just don’t know where yet. It has long been out of my hands and I don’t actually get involved in the contract talks. So I cannot really tell you what is going on and what the problem is.

And, like you, I should not focus on that. Things are happening in our sector and we need to focus.

The test flights were over our area this past week for just a day or two. They’ll be back for an extended run some time later.

One of our first goals as a sector will be to see if we can see it when they are over us. Sleigh sightings are a huge part of being a tracker elf and I think we can use the practice. So keep an eye on the Santa tracker map.

Many are asking about reports and when we can start. Our lack of a Regional Tracking Center will mean we will depend upon you for reports more, not less. So be ready. Flight command is not yet asking for anything in particular yet. But I think that will change right around the middle of August with weather reports.

Of course, with the weather, the most important thing you can report is what you actually see. I know a lot of elves check in with local news stations or even the weather service where they are and that’s fine. But your big value is your observation of where you are. Don’t forget that. I know some trackers put a lot of apps on their phones or bookmark websites to check for when Flight Command asks about weather. That’s great. But don’t forget to look out the window.

Since we don’t have a Regional Tracking Center yet I’m going to ask you to hold off on inspections for a while. I’m going to meet with Elf Roger this week to get his ideas about how to handle that while we wait for our assignment. It does not make a lot of sense to have our tracker elves sending in reports we cannot process. We need to solve this problem of no Regional Tracking Center soon.

So hang in there, Elves. We’ll get it together!