After the Storm, Lessons Learned

Another significant outbreak of severe weather for the United States has passed through the nation, and WeatherCall responded with hundreds of thousands of phone notifications again.  As happens frequently, those users of our products versus those who use numerous 'virtual' competitors have again spoken back to us, and reminded us why they have chosen WeatherCall over products of numerous 'virtual' competitors.  This map shows a list of the storm reports collected from various National Weather Service Offices across the nation.  It shows an outbreak of damaging tornadoes in NW Georgia, which left behind destruction, injury and a fatality.  There were 7 reports of damaging tornadoes, and 333 reports of damaging winds.  Remember, this was an area consideredas being under a 'Slight Risk' by the Storm Prediction Center.  This means what the scientific community might consider a descriptive word for statistical purposes, might not be what the public perceives as a word to describe risk to THEM.

There was 1 person killed and 22 injured in NW Georgia when tornadoes moved through that part of the state the morning of January 30, 2013. Compare this to the number of storms the previous day, January 29, 2013, when the Storm Prediction Center had issued a "moderate risk", and there were no tornado fatalities, despite 19 reports of tornadoes.  The single fatality was from a tree downed by gusty thunderstorm winds outside of the Nashville area.  When you compare the numbers of storm reports from each day, you will see the numbers are similar, with 423 on January 29, and 364 on January 30.  It shows that a 'SlightRisk" day can cause as much damage as a "Moderate Risk" day.  It also shows that you don't need to be the weather expert to know when you need to act before, during or after a local, regional or national disaster.

Okay, I have shown you a lot of numbers.  "BUT WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN TO ME", you ask?

The secret lies in one word.  NOTIFICATION.  What are your plans to be notified when dangerous weather is about to threaten you, your family, your business?  Unless you are a weather aficionado, there will be times when you are unprepared for what the weather will bring you.  Most Americans are not weather experts.  Most Americans don't watch their favorite broadcast weathercaster/meteorologist on a daily basis and even if they do, they don't pay enough attention as to what is said to know what the weather will actually bring the following day.  Most Americans are busy with their lives, raising children, going to work, paying bills, wanting time off, and living their passions day to day.

What we suggest is for you to make plans when the weather is quiet, sunny, and non-threatening, to spend the time to research your weather notification plans, and then your action plans when you are notified.  I am a meteorologist and am seldom surprised by the what the weather brings.  Note that I said seldom.  That means that, yes, as a meteorologist who studies this stuff, I too have been surprised.  When I drive in the winter, I carry winter weather supplies in case I am surprised by snow and ice.  When I am traveling, I carry a smart phone with WeatherCall ToGo, as does my wife.  When I am at home, WeatherCall @Home is my main source for severe weather notification.  My family knows where to go if a tornado is threatening, if a fire breaks out, or if snow and ice shut off the power for days.  The reason is that I am an instructor of emergency management information dissemination and an instructor of meteorology.  I am expected to be prepared.

Please let those of us who work with WeatherCall also ask you to be prepared.  Start with how you are notified, then how you'll act.  Make certain your family and co-workers know the plans, how to act and where to go.  Someday, a day like January 29th or 30th, it just might be enough notification and planning to save your life.

Brad Huffines 

Meteorologist/National Notification Consultant, Media/Industry/Web, WeatherCall 

Adjunct Instructor of Emergency Public Information / Meteorology, FEMA Emergency Management Institute