[Skywarn] Skywarn "shortcomings"

[Gregg Hendry]

Jay,

If the safety seminar from PAH will be available online, please post the
information.  For me, I work this Thursday eve but will try to "tune in" if
I can.  Always good to hear things from a different perspective - it
sometimes makes a subject jump out that you've missed before.  If you want
to hear from some of the folks better experienced with tornadoes and severe
weather, the Norman, Oklahoma NWS Office offers online seminars.

Keep in mind, each Office tailors their presentation to the predominant
threat for the area.  For example, here in the Charleston area it is flash
floods while Norman's area is certainly intense thunderstorms and tornadoes.
While we rarely mention it, Skywarn is useful during winter weather events
too.  This is the reason NWS encourages Skywarn volunteers to attend
training from their local NWS Office.

I'll second Jay's comments about people being storm chasers.  Skywarn is
not, never was, and never will be, intended to be a "storm chaser" program.
The purpose is SAFELY reporting what is occurring AT ONE GIVEN POINT.  Never
put yourself in harm's way to make a report.  That includes staying off the
landline telephone or radio with outdoor antenna while thunderstorms are in
progress.  As we saw last year near Oklahoma City, tornadoes can catch and
kill seasoned professionals using the latest and greatest storm chasing
equipment.

Gregg Hendry, W8DUQ


-----Original Message-----
From: Skywarn [mailto:skywarn-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jay
Cafasso
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2014 7:24 PM
To: Bradly L. McGarr
Cc: skywarn at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Skywarn] Skywarn "shortcomings"

Skywarn like many things is all "local"... There are many good groups and
then again there are the others.

The big issues I have with Skywarn are, ego and purpose. If anyone here
thinks they know it all or is an expert when its comes to storms or
emergency/disaster response is plainly fooling himself and " Son, your ego
is writing checks your body can't cash".

Don't get me wrong, there are very knowledgeable people, very experienced,
but experts? No way.."Some" of the experienced guy's need to learn to be
teachers not kings, while there are a great deal of older spotters who are
excellent teachers. You just have to search them out.

The second issue is purpose. Why are you a spotter? Save lives? Believing
your own bull, eh? Chaser? For who? Media outlets? NWS? You supporting your
WCM that includes reporting properly? Learning the science? You know why
tornadoes do the things they do? Or are you doing it because you get a kick
out of watching mother nature destroy things?

I don't mean to be a smarty pants but many spotters and chaser have lost
control and purpose.

By the way, Rick Shanklin out of Paducah WFO has a very good safety program
coming up. I recommend everyone sign up for it...

"Secondly please be aware that we will be having a "Mobile Spotter Training"
Webinar this Thursday June 5 at 6:30 PM. For details see http://ow.ly/xwjIy
"

Lastly, call your WCM and talk to him about the issues you have. That's the
only way you can begin the change the process if you have a issue. If you
don't have a Skywarn group in your area call your WCM and start one...

But remember, Skywarn is subservient to NWS they are our bosses....

Be safe out there!
Jay