10-28-2012 9:04 AM EST
In less than 24 hours the upper portion of the eastern
United States will begin to feel the wrath of Sandy. Not in over 20 years have we seen readings
like this in a tropical storm threatening the eastern seaboard and never before
have we seen the hybrid conversion about to happen as Sandy makes landfall near
New York. For days the airwaves have
been filed with scientific explanation, detailed forecasting, specialist
interviews and warnings.
It doesn’t matter. As usual.
All across the New England area, there are thousands
watching the development of the storm convinced that the forecasters are wrong,
the storm will weaken, and that “because it has never happened” it will not
happen now.
Ignorance runs rampant.
The anger began to stir up inside me three days ago as I
monitored FaceBook and saw the comments made by so many. The attitude seems to
be one of excitement and adventure as the common man once again looks forward
to the severe assuming it will be just like they see on television. Reality TV strikes again as I see comments
made on Reed Timmer’s FaceBook by his fans: “I hope it gets worse…would love to
see some tornadoes out of this!” followed by “Bring it on! Cannot wait to ride
it out!”
As usual, the American public has based its knowledge of the
severe and understanding of the threat on their perception which is solely
based on 30 minute excerpts of television crap.
While Reed Timmer has perpetuated the transition of severe weather from
a science to a sport in the eyes of his fans, he cannot be faulted, for it is
the fans that have the responsibility to educate themselves beyond Reed’s aired
adventures. In over a dozen
conversations I had with severe weather fans just yesterday, not one of those
people understood the meaning of a 950mb low.
While every one of them could name famous tornadoes, not one had ever
experienced 72 hours of 75 mile per hour winds nor had any understanding of the
impact this would have.
I doubt that storm chasing fans are aware of the extensive
schooling and education held by Timmer or how many hours he studies impending
weather threats before strapping himself into his Dominator. Ask a fan… there’s nothing to storm chasing…you
just need guts, right?
Wrong.
For years I felt that there was a lack of education in this
country when it came to severe weather threats but I no longer believe that is
true. The education is there… the students are not and this is not Reed’s fault
or that of anyone else on television.
What I believe is that America has become like small
children, choosing to eat Twinkies before dinner and tossing broccoli under the
table because they don’t like it. The nutrition
is there, but the choice to not ingest it is made by the immature and the
ignorant. Like that small child who
screams and chooses to not eat their peas, it takes a parent to make them sit
in the high chair until every last vegetable is eaten…why? Because they are not
smart enough to know what is good for them.
So where are the parents now in this storm of the century?
There are none. We have no recourse, no control and no authority to make people
put disaster kits together. We have no
authority to make sure that people are stocking upon supplies or buying a
generator, and for that, we will pay dearly…hopefully not in lives.
You see, in less than 48 hours, organizations from the Red
Cross to Chasing4Life will be called upon to feed, clothe, house and rescue
those that were too immature and too ignorant to see what was good for
them. Responders will be forced to go
out in the one of the worst storms this country has ever seen to rescue those
that have never missed an episode of storm chasers, but have never bothered to
understand the science.
Ignorance is not bliss.
There is saying used by my NRA friends; “Guns don’t kill
people, people kill people”. It’s true.
What is even more true is that unfortunately there is no test of maturity in
order to own one. In like manner, there is no test to determine who should have
children, who should own a house or who should drive a car or who should be allowed
to watch reality television. In other
words, I see no end to this madness. We can only pray for the safety of the
responders as they attempt to assist those that chose their plight.
There is no lack of education in this country, there is a
lack of people wanting to be educated.
If it were not for the work of serious professional chasers like Reed
Timmer there would be much we did not know, but because exciting
adventure-packed reality television tastes better than science, what millions
need to know lies on the floor near the dog.
Wake up America. It
is a perverse mind that looks forward to a horrific storm with anxious
anticipation and joy. These storms are getting worse and more frequent and one
of these days we will be standing in piles of debris and rubble across this
country realizing much too late it was all for real and not scripted
entertainment.
Updates, communication and reporting is going to play a key
role in saving lives over the next few days and so with that said, we will pray
for the safety of those that are dedicating their time, finances and lives to
heading out into Sandy’s path. For those
that have been preparing and making attempts to mitigate the storm’s effects,
we applaud you all. For those of you that still think this will amount to
nothing or that think this could be your opportunity to live out a fantasy…may
God help you.
Take a minute to see these severe weather heroes the way they should be seen...Reed is a scientist and researcher and despite the exciting antics, there is a foundation of education that fuels storm chasing if it is to be done right. There is a reason that man is still alive. He'll be out there this week with many others and that education will keep them alive. Will your education save yours?
