[SFDXA] Storm Chaser, WJ0G Killed by Oklahoma Tornado

[Bill]

*3 veteran storm chasers killed by Oklahoma tornado*
KELLY P. KISSEL and THOMAS PEIPERT
Associated Press


*Three veteran storm chasers were among the 10 people killed when a 
violent tornado barreled into the Oklahoma City metro area.

* Jim Samaras told The Associated Press on Sunday that his brother Tim 
Samaras, 54, of Bennett, Colo., was killed Friday.
Tim Samaras' son, 24-year-old Paul Samaras, also of Bennett; and another 
chaser, Carl Young, also died.

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., said it believed the 
deaths were the first time scientific researchers were killed while 
chasing tornadoes. The Samaras' and Young were pursuing an EF3 tornado 
as it bore down on a metropolitan area of more than 1 million people.
"He looked at tornadoes not for the spotlight of TV but for the 
scientific aspect. At the end of the day, he wanted to save lives and he 
gave the ultimate sacrifice for that," Jim Samaras said.

The classic movie "The Wizard of Oz" fascinated a then-6-year-old Tim 
Samaras, his brother said --- not for the magical Emerald City, but by 
what took Dorothy there, the storm. "

He didn't give a crap about Toto, he didn't give a crap about the 
munchkins," Jim Samaras said.

The Storm Prediction Center issued a statement Sunday, saying it was 
terribly saddened by Tim Samaras' death. "
Samaras was a respected tornado researcher and friend ... who brought to 
the field a unique portfolio of expertise in engineering, science, 
writing and videography," the center's statement said.

Tim Samaras had appeared on the Discovery Channel's "Storm Chasers" show 
until last year and also contributed to the National Geographic Society.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Tim Samaras his son Paul and 
their colleague Carl Young. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their 
families," Discovery Channel spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg said.

The channel planned to dedicate a show Sunday night to the three men, 
capping the broadcast with a tribute that will read: "In memory of Tim 
Samaras, Carl Young and Paul Samaras who died Friday, May 31st doing 
what they love, chasing storms."
Jim Samaras said his brother, nephew and their colleague were dedicated 
to avoiding trouble while chasing storms, and that the family wasn't 
worried about whether he was taking care of himself.

"I don't know if I would say I worried about it because one of the 
biggest things he stressed was safety. He knew what to look for. He knew 
where not to be and in this case the tornado took a clear turn toward 
them," he said. Video taken by a number of storm chasers showed debris 
pelting vehicles Friday. Winds swept one vehicle with a crew from The 
Weather Channel off the road, tossed it 200 yards and flipped it into a 
field --- they escaped major injury.

Jim Cantore, a Weather Channel meteorologist, tweeted Sunday that 
meteorologists were in mourning. "This is a very sad day for the 
meteorological community and the families of our friends lost. Tim 
Samaras was a pioneer and great man," he wrote.
n Canadian County, Okla., where the men died, Undersheriff Chris West 
noted the three were hoping to help understand violent storms. "They put 
themselves in harm's way so that they can educate the public about the 
destructive power of these storms," he said.

The men worked as a team and Tim Samaras had received 18 grants from the 
National Geographic Society for work in the field.

"Tim was a courageous and brilliant scientist who fearlessly pursued 
tornadoes and lightning in the field in an effort to better understand 
these phenomena," the society said on its website. "
Though we sometimes take it for granted, Tim's death is a stark reminder 
of the risks encountered regularly by the men and women who work for us."

The Storm Prediction Center said scientific storm chasing is performed 
as safely as possible, with trained researchers using appropriate 
technology.
It encouraged all, including the media and amateurs, to chase safely to 
avoid a repeat of Friday's deaths.

___
Kissel reported from Little Rock, Ark.; Peipert reported from Denver. 
Associated Press writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this 
report.

06/02/2013 16:18 © Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 
The information contained In this news report may not be published, 
broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority 
of The Associated Press.


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