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Overview |
Each year about a thousand tornadoes touch down in the US. Only a small
percentage actually strike occupied buildings, but every year a number of people
are killed or injured. The chances that a tornado will strike a building that
you are in are very small, however, and you can greatly reduce the chance of
injury by doing a few simple things.
One of the most important things you can do to prevent being injured in a
tornado is to be ALERT to the onset of severe weather. Most deaths and injuries
happen to people who are unaware and uninformed. Young children or the mentally
challenged may not recognize a dangerous situation. The ill, elderly, or invalid
may not be able to reach shelter in time. Those who ignore the weather because
of indifference or overconfidence may not perceive the danger. Stay aware, and
you will stay alive!
Additionally, the Red Cross suggests that you assemble a "disaster supplies kit"
that you keep in your shelter area. It should contain:
- A first aid kit with essential medication in addition to the usual items.
- A battery powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
- Canned and other non-perishable food and a hand operated can opener.
- Bottled water.
- Sturdy shoes and work gloves.
- Written instructions on how to turn off your homes utilities.
Additionally, there are a number of other
safety kits
that you can prepare that will assist in your survival.
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What SOARESSS Members Do |
Storm spotters play a critical role in
National Weather Service,
severe weather operations. In addition to serving as a community’s first line
of defense against dangerous storms, stormtrackers and spotters provide
important information to warning forecasters who must make critical warning
decisions. The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Norman uses amateur
radio as one method of communicating with spotter groups and emergency
management organizations. The National Weather Service, in cooperation with
local emergency management and amateur radio groups, has developed a network of
frequencies to assist in the dissemination and collection of severe weather
information. The Southern Oklahoma Amateur Radio Emergency Service and
Scientific Society, in conjunction with the
Southern Oklahoma SKYWARN
group, act in this first line defense system through trained mobile
stormtrackers and stationary spotters at strategic areas of our community. HAM
radio operators all, these individuals intercept and track severe storm cells,
monitoring strength and meteorological events and anomalies, and radio these
observations into pertinent emergency management centers. The Southern Oklahoma
SKYWARN Group is made up of members (predominantly from S.O.A.R.E.S.S.S.) with
keen insight into these severe thunderstorm systems and the processes in which
they develop. They have a healthy respect for the ominous power, nature
displays in super cell storms, and will tell you...stormtracking is not for the
weak at heart.
Again, using our ham radios, in
conjunction with a technology called
Automatic Position Reporting System
(used in conjunction with Global Position System, or GPS, receivers on our
vehicles) we are able to tell the NWS exactly where we are, and what we see.
This is called providing "Ground Truth" back to NWS. The NWS uses this to refine
their computer models for what their radar units are reporting.
If you are interested in helping save lives, this is a very real way to
GET INVOLVED.
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Weather Service Resources |
There are a number of various weather maps and services available. Just click on
the link below to see any of these (they will all pop up in a new browser):
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Who Is Interested? |
Specific traits for storm trackers are hard to write in just a few words. But there
are a few that stand out:
- You are interested in saving lives.
- You have a healthy respect for the sound and sights associated with a tornado.
- You understand (or are at least interested in) local weather patterns.
Additionally, there are a few things you should NOT be:
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You should not be a thrill seeker. Storm tracking is serious business.
Tornados, in all their awe inspiring glory, are unpredictable, and very,
very deadly.
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You should not scare easily. Violent storms can be quite scary, between
the hail, wind, and lightning.
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What Does It Take? |
So you fit the model of a good storm tracker. Great. Now, what kinds of skills
do you need? Some of our storm trackers have taken the classes necessary to
have the following certifications:
For more information, please visit the
Southern Oklahoma SKYWARN
page on Yahoo!Groups.
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