🚀 go-pugleaf

Automatic digest processor wrote:
>
> There are 2 messages totalling 90 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
>   1. FW: May 24th Tornado Data
>   2. Commentary on AP story on South Dakota tornado
>
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> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date:    Mon, 1 Jun 1998 16:07:17 -0500
> From:    Gayland Kitch <gkitch@CI.MOORE.OK.US>
> Subject: FW: May 24th Tornado Data
>
> ----------
> From:   David Underwood[SMTP:David.Underwood@oklaosf.state.ok.us]
> Sent:   Monday, June 01, 1998 3:52 PM
> To:     #Oklahoma Local EMA Directors
> Subject:        May 24th Tornado Data
>
>      This is the preliminary report (includes pictures) that the NWS Norman
>      has conducted on the May 24th Northern Oklahoma tornado.  It is worth
>      taking a look at.  If anyone has any additional information contact
>      Jim Purpura at Norman NWS or myself.  I will see that he gets the
>      information.  Thanks.
>
>      http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/nws/storms/24may98/
>
>      David Underwood
>
> ----------
> Gayland Kitch
> Director of Emergency Management & Communications
> The City of Moore, Oklahoma
> emermgt@ci.moore.ok.us
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Mon, 1 Jun 1998 22:43:16 -0100
> From:    Stephen Marks <emaa@INTERPATH.COM>
> Subject: Re: Commentary on AP story on South Dakota tornado
>
> Please excuse the triple post but portions of this are relevant to all
> three lists.  Some of the original post has been deleted for brevity.
>
> Charlie Fenwick writes...
>
> >I am positively incensed with the idea of "no aparrent warning."
>
> >SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (May 31) - A tornado that struck after dark with no
> >apparent warning wiped out the small town of Spencer in South Dakota,
> >killing six people and injuring another 150, officials said on Sunday.
>
> >Warning sent at 8:32.  Tornado strikes at 8:45.  But "no aparrent warning"
> >and " the only warning she had was the sound of the storm bearing down on
> >the town of 300."
>
> Roger Edwards and I were on this storm.  We discovered the large tornado as
> we were driving south on Hwy 25, about 5 miles due west of Spencer.  We
> filmed the tornado for about 2 minutes until it became rain wrapped as it
> moved toward and then through the town of Spencer.
>
> We shared our video with Sioux Falls NWS and assisted them with a damage
> survey on Sunday.  All of the residents of Spencer and nearby farms with
> whom we spoke were aware of both the watch and the warning from local
> media.  The sirens in Spencer, however, did not sound.  I was told that the
> power went out shortly before the storm struck and therefore the sirens
> could not be activated.  Consequenly, many of the residents who had come to
> rely on the sirens as their source of warning were not aware of the
> imminent danger.
>
> My concern, as an Emergency Manager, is that the general population has
> become too reliant on someone else to provide them with such lifsaving
> information during severe weather.  Someone had posted earlier that most
> watches were useless.  I strongly disagree!  Preparedness activities should
> be initiated during the watch period.  People should monitor NWR, their
> local media, TWC, etc.  They should consider postponing the picnic or field
> trip.  They should be prepared to take immediate action if threatening
> weather approaches.  We (EM, NWS, and Public Safety) can not reach everyone
> within our communities.  The people must learn to provide, to some degree,
> for themselves.
>
> There was a Tornado Warning issued for the residents of Spencer.  There
> were storms in the area.  These folks did have adequate warning but many
> were not aware of it until it was too late.  How can we better prepare and
> education the citizens of our communities so these tragedies can be
> avoided?  (A question for the Skywarn list specifically).
>
> And as a side note to those who may have video of (or witnessed) the
> Spencer tornado, I encourage you to contact Greg Harmon of Sioux Falls NWS.
>  I'm sure he would be glad to hear from you.
>
> Steve Marks, KE4FCW
> Emergency Mgmt, Greensboro NC
> (currently in Norman, OK)
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of SKYWARN Digest - 31 May 1998 to 1 Jun 1998
> *************************************************

The commentary on the SD tornado regarding "no apparent warning" sounds
all too famililar; i.e. people, regardless of the watches and warnings,
can be complacent and all too reliant on the warning sirens.

I have no doubt that watches and warnings were issued; in fact, my
Deputy EC was at the National Weather Service in Valley, NE that evening
due to the potential for rapid development of severe wx in Eastern
Nebraska.

Sometimes personal responsibility (including awareness) will be the only
thing that stands between you and disaster...and in some cases, that may
not be enough.

73 de
KEN NOEL, AJ0A
EC, Midlands Douglas County Nebraska

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To unsubscribe from SKYWARN send e-mail to LISTSERV@PO.UIUC.EDU with
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information on the SKYWARN discussion group write to chris@siu.edu or
see http://www.inlink.com/~landmb/intro.html.  For more information
on SKYWARN activities across the country visit http://www.skywarn.com
and http://www.winternet.com/~daveej.