Cathy

August 2nd is Cathy's Birthday. It is pretty safe to post this in a blog because she will never see it. Cathy is the busiest person at Chasing4Life and literally works around the clock chasing down jobs undone, events, contracts, sponsors, bills and of course, the team.
Of all the people that keep Chasing4Life going, Cathy is probably the hub of the wheel. We want to recognize her for her hard work, patience, sleepless nights, long days and faithfulness to the team.
If you would like to send an e-card or a birthday greeting, you can send it directly at tour@chasing4life.org and she will get it. Tell her you appreciate Chasing4Life and all her hard work. Let her know that while she is often behind the scenes, we all know she is there, and PLEASE tell her she doesn't look a day over 29!

A quiet day weather-wise here in Nebraska leaves room for some hours at the Buffalo County Fair in Kearney so come see us tonight! We will be out there with the KRVN crew and we have Chasing4Life Coloring Books for your kids so bring 'em by!

Cook stormchaser for 1 hour at 350 degrees...

And I am supposed to be the disaster preparedness expert. OUCH!

This weekend I took 6 hours off from storm chasing to enjoy an afternoon at the water park. Sunburns are never good, but I got it bad. Of course I did not slowly roast to a golden bronze, I burnt my chest and my stomach and the tops of my feet so I now look like a well-basted, slow-roasted turkey. Of course our bald storm chaser, Dan, looks even worse.

Sun poisoning, which is probably what I have, is even more serious than a sunburn. The discomfort is unreal.

In medical terms, sun poisoning and sunburn are both referred to as photodermatitis, your skin's allergic reaction to overexposure to the sun. I prefer to call it Youaretoowhiteotbeoutsidus.

In the case of sun poisoning, the reaction is a bit more severe and the symptoms may become seriously uncomfortable. A typical sunburn involves itching, redness, and peeling. Severe sunburns may also be accompanied by small blisters that may lead to infection. Symptoms of sun poisoning also tend to include nausea, fever, headache, and dizziness and may also be accompanied by fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance.

If your symptoms are limited to mild discomfort, treat your skin the way you would treat any sunburn. Stay hydrated, apply ice or cold compresses to reduce swelling or itching, and take aspirin. Apply aloe if it helps and keep out of the sun. Try taking beta-carotene supplements as they've been shown to ease inflammation. Avoid using oils or anything that contains potential irritants such as fragrances and exfoliants.

On the other hand, if the burn is more painful or you exhibit any of the systemic symptoms listed above, step up your efforts to cool down and hydrate. Drink plenty of fluids and take a bath in cool (not cold) water. Pat skin dry-don't rub-and stay in a cool environment until your symptoms ease.

At any point, if you suffer from extreme pain or vomiting or if your fever grows too hot (over 104 degrees Fahrenheit), head to an emergency room. In more serious cases, a doctor can prescribe an oral steroid to reduce inflammation or administer IV fluids to restore hydration.

Folks, this current weather is wierd. They are calling this the "Year of no summer". We are being decieved by sunny days with no heat. Don't be fooled! I got my burn within an hour of being at the park!

There are dozens of events in the next month where you can come out and see the KRVN crew and the Chase Team. Get some sun block, buy a big floppy hat and stay safe. Opps! My pop-up timer just popped out! I'm done!

Farming and Weather

I remember wanting so badly to be a farmer when I grew up. I spent a lot of time on the family farm each summer, and our family had a long history in Herefords and corn. Looking back over the last two months, I am glad I chose another route. I do not know how farmers do it. The stress, the long days and the worry would kill me. I feel so bad today about what this year has done. I drove about 45 miles this morning alredy and have been looking at damage from hail from yesterday. These fields were just replanted from the June 5th weekend storms! Not nearly all the reports are in, but as I suspected yesterday, the reports are pretty grim.
Dawson County is reporting that the damage we reported to KRVN yesterday was actually about 30,000 acres from north of Gothenburg to South of Cozad being called minor to total losses. Buffalo County is reporting pivots wrecked again, and as we had heard yesterday afternoon, the leaves were all stripped off corn in Phelps County. Near Kearney, a garage was re-located over 100 yards from a home and the home suffered severe damage.
It was a really wierd storm and tornado confirmation will be pretty much impossible on this one however the rotation was incredibly obvious and with cloud to the ground activity and heavy rain, it was nearly impossible to tell what was what.
The end result, after it all, was unfortunately more damage to fields and crops and the futures and lives of many.

Be Ready, Aim, FIRE!

Did you know that only a portion of Chasing4Life’s activities involve storm chasing?

For several years the Chasing4Life Educational StormChase Team has toured the country presenting educational programs for libraries, schools, churches, universities, colleges, corporations, chambers and clubs. You can find out about some of these programs by visiting our website or by requesting more information by emailing us at tour@chasing4life.org.

A large part of our work over the years has been working closely with fire departments. In the world of emergency response, it is often difficult to reach the local community with events that educate the public in areas that are important to emergency management. Chasing4Life has a series of community events that focus on supporting the local fire department, creating home disaster kits as way of supporting local responders during disaster, and even fire safety events have become popular. Now, with Swine Flu reports continuing to rise, Chasing4Life has created a new series called “A Bug’s Life” to educate the community regarding pandemics, infectious disease control and how to limit the spread of disease.

There is also The Oconto Project; a Chasing4Life effort that has received national attention. This effort has educated fire departments in forecasting, storm spotting, storm safety, severe weather safety education for communities and even modern severe weather safety technologies. We love the rural departments and would love to speak to you about any and all of these programs.
The list seems almost endless, so let us know what your goals are as a department. What weaknesses have you discovered? What would you like to improve on? Chances are, one of our team can help.

Starting in August, C4L will begin our “500 4 Life” Campaign. During this campaign we will attempt to present 500 programs in 4 short months. Our goal has almost been reached! With limited dates left, you need to act now and contact us right away to become a part of this massive educational tour. Join us in creating a more resilient and safer American community and help us reach 500 4 Life.

The day went to hail

I have no idea how many storm reports were made today but this was really an unreal day. From early this morning we have been in hail and high wind. The reports we got and what we saw of crop damage was very depressing. The region really cannot handle much more of this. Crops are shredded, corn is broken, and that is in the fields that made it through the last several weeks! As much as I love the severe weather, we need a break here for the farmer's sake.

The Colony

The debut of the Discovery Channel's "The Colony" could cause a lack of sleep. While reminiscent of Survivor, the show actually makes one think. For those that merely want to watch another reality show, I can see why a few reviews I have read refer to it as "contrived", but the reality of the POSSIBILITY really could make one think about the world after a major catastrophe.

If you are not familiar with the show yet, it is a 10 week experiment featuring 10 people who are holed up in an abandoned warehouse after a virus has all but wiped out mankind. The part of the show that is a bit hard to swallow is that the people are all so over-educated and all have the skills and background to re-create a new society including infrastructure. A biologist, a doctor, a nurse, contractors, engineers...

While this definitely gives these folks the edge and takes the edge off the show, it makes you think...what would it be like if all 10 were soccer moms and their accountant husbands?

I'll be watching the show to be sure, and hope that the show starts many a discussion in homes around the country...

What if????

In a world where we all watch way too much television, I cannot believe I am going to say this, but you need to watch at least one episode. Discovery Channel took a harsh reality idea and turned it into a watchable and possibly an educational show.

The 72 Hour Experiment

Over the years, as we have toured and shared a message of disaster preparedness, we have heard hundreds of stories of how people have survived a disaster because they had a home disaster kit, but as time has never allowed, we have never journaled or recorded these stories.

In an effort to make up for this, in a partnership with Quake Dog, we have begun "The 72 Hour Experiment".

Check it out and follow along as we release this unique reality experience as one mother and three children survive a disaster with only a backpack survival kit live on the web!

Our "disaster" will strike this family sometime in the next month and will be the first of several disasters that "strike" over the next 6 months as part of a series.

Read long and interact with this young mother as she struggles through 72 hours sheltered-in-place after disaster strikes.

Click here to see the beginning...

The day's story

The day awoke with lots of promise. Diagrams, graphics and even a hint of rain already in the air adding to the humidity that would soon be joined by the heat of the day. The truck was cleaned out, gear added to a tattered red bag, and the camera battery went on the charger. Anticipation can often times taste as sweet as the reward.
A cloud, then another..could it be? It was. A watch, beautiful and yellow suddenly appeared on the screen. Red, orange and yellow surrounded by shades of green adorned the flat lansdscape on the radar. The watch turned red and the icons appeared in numbers...I could feel the breeze become a wind.
The laid back blue of the sky gave way to a submarine gray and the truck roared to life and left a pile of paperwork and stupid phone calls in a cloud of dust as the weather radio blared its information.
The day was going to turn into an adventure; a new journey through pounding hail, muddy roads and fallen trees...it was going to be a great day.
Was.
Almost three hours away a small cloud began to grow, an underachiever to the naked eye. The little cloud cared nothing for the perception or opinion of others and began to creep slowly toward the border as if to escape a State that had already decided it was unimportant.
As if to say "Pay attention to me", the cloud heaved itself up on its rear legs and lunged for the southern counties and in a blast of 4" hail and high winds complete with rotation, Cory was in the middle of a storm.
Oh yeah, the rest of us?
Bored. Dry. Hot. Sticky. Jealous of Cory.

Storm Chaser Belly

You know, with all the heat and running around I think I do, I would have thought I was losing weight. With heat indexes that climb to 100+ and humidity, it would stand to reason that I should be fit and trim. But I am not.
I drive a stormchase vehicle all over, and so I guess I have storm chaser belly. I stood on the scale the other day, tipping it at 195 lbs- my heaviest weight ever. My kid then stood on the scale and said "Look! I weigh 30!". His mother then called in from the living room: "Honey, that scale is broken, you weigh 35 pounds!"




Wow. I was depressed. The 195 was bad enough, but the thought of 200? That is a good number of laps for a race, not a good weight for me!





I have to start losing weight, and I am thinking that maybe a litte walking may be good, and that brings to mind disaster preparedness again. It also gives me a good excuse to spend 5 more minutes in the air conditioning teaching you all stuff...





If you are like me and realize that the weather alone will not work like a spa and reduce that jelly roll you call a middle, then remember some of this in the summer heat:






Drink plenty of fluids. It's extremely important to stay hydrated. If you're thirsty then you are already dehydrated; drink before you feel a need to. Be sure to drink throughout the day (stick to non-caffeinated beverages, preferably water). Also, drink 15-20 minutes before beginning your workout and every 15 minutes throughout the exercise.



Eat regularly. The heat can decrease your appetite, but it's important to eat normally. Try to eat small meals 5-6 times per day. Include lots of fruits and vegetables. Remember...Hostess does not make fruits and vegetables, so if you are in the aisle with Ho-Ho's, you have gone too far into the store. Aside from being nutritious, fruits also tend to help with hydration.



Wear light, loose fitting clothes that can breath. Cotton is always a good choice. If your outdoor activity produces a lot of perspiration, consider clothing that is designed to wick the sweat away.
Wear sunscreen. Even if you exercise early in the morning or late in the evening, if the sun can reach you then you can get burned. Not only is a sunburn bad on the skin and potentially dangerous but it also hinders your bodies ability to stay cool.



Use common sense and don't attempt strenuous activities that your body is not accustom to. Stick to exercises that you are very familiar and comfortable with.



Oh yeah, as a storm chasing fan, remember to check the weather forecast. It's best not to participate in intense outdoor exercise sessions when the heat index registers in the dangerous zone.





Okay, I am out of helpful hints, so I guess I have to go and do something and lose some of this excess weight. My public deserves a smaller me.

EDUCATIONAL TOURS

With over 300 programs scheduled between now and the end of October, the C4L calendar is filling pretty quick! Our present educational tours have us in Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, Illinois and Tennessee. Here is what that means: If you want to book back-to-school events, you HAVE to jump NOW! There are less than 24 dates available in 2009 and 2010 is filling rapidly!
Email us at tour@chasing4life.org

Michael's farewell

Unbelievable. I do not think that in my lifetime I have seen a memorial service like the one that I watched today for Michael Jackson. Despite my own personal opinions of Michael's last years, the service was truly moving and the speeches by the Kings, Smokey, Al Sharpton and more all brought to my mind the sadness of the human condition and how big a role music plays in our lives as a healing element and motivator.

Perhaps one of the speeches that I paid attention to the most was that of Democratic Representative Jackson-Lee of Texas as she told of House Resolution 600 honoring Jackson as an American legend and musical icon.

She reminded all of us that in this country people are innocent until proven guilty...

The Representative mentioned how there was a moment of silence among the Congressional Black Caucus on the day Jackson passed.

No matter what your opinion of Michael, you cannot deny that today was a day of historical significance.

July 4th

It was the second year that the Chasing4Life team took part in the Independence Day celebration in Ravenna, Nebraska. Last year we took part in some sadness as we raised money with the Ravenna Boy Scouts for those from Little Sioux, Iowa...this year we partied with those same Boy Scouts as the water was chilled, the air was even worse and we manned, once again, the Ravenna Boy Scout Dunk Tank where locals and visitors got to dunk their favorite stormchase team!

It's not April Fools Day!

Okay folks, it is the holiday weekend. We have severe weather coming in to Nebraska and already in Kansas. With the folks coming in tomorrow and friends visiting you have a lot to do. The BBQ grill has to be cleaned and set up, yard furniture has to be placed in the yard and you should be getting ready to hang that flag out too.

Turn that weather radio on and don't turn July 4th into April Fools. Make sure you check you local weather before you fill the yard with potential projectiles. Find something to tie that trampoline down with and don't leave that lawn furniture and grill outside unless you know it is going to stay there! The forecast shows storms from this afternoon through the night and then again tomorrow.

Be careful and enjoy the weekend. Looks like we'll be out and about so if you happen to be in Nebraska, tune in to KRVN Radio and we'll keep you updated.

Temper tantrum via blog

See that picture?
While this conjures up memories of the story of Rip Van Winkle, that is actually a picture of me waiting for Charter Communications to bury the cable in my yard. Yep! It has been strung across over 80 feet of my yard for almost a year. Every month, right when the bill is due, we call and ask when they are gonna bury it. Every month they say they are sending someone out. In this day and age, you would think that a HUGE company like Charter would have a GPS in a truck so they could find the place!

It's funny watching their commercials..."all about the customer". Hmmmm. Wish I was THAT customer. They must pick one a year.


You know, if you are 10 minutes late for a doctor's appointment, they pass you over and you have to reschedule, but when you show up on time, the doctor can take as long as 45 minutes to get to you.


Cell companies claim they are there for you with uninterupted service, but what I have found is that they can pretty much say what they want. As for Charter, it really should not take a year to bury 80 feet of cable when it took them less than a month to run new cable throughout an entire town not far from here!


Do we have any recourse? Of course not. The doctor will get to you when he gets to you, the cell phone company doesn't care about dropped calls when you are on the road 'cause its not THEIR phone, family, emergency or life, and as for Charter...80 feet of cable is pretty insignificant to them. Hopefully it is not too expensive either, cause today I am mowing my yard. Cable or not.