Recent articles critical of storm chasers impeding first responders: The Republic, Fox, Salina Journal, and LA Times.
Storm Chasers: Asset or Nuisance?
21 Thursday Jun 2012
Posted in EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
toddjasper
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21 Thursday Jun 2012
Posted in EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Recent articles critical of storm chasers impeding first responders: The Republic, Fox, Salina Journal, and LA Times.
I think trained storm chasers can be a vital asset to emergency managers. They provide vital “ground level” information on a storms path, damage and resulting injuries. Tourists seeking a thrill are a problem for emergency managers.
Another problem that is clearly evident is the sense of entitltlement some private citizens have coupled with a lack of knowledge on the part of emergency managers or a lack of appropriate legislation. The article in The Republic states “one of the tour members told a Rush County storm spotter he had paid $1,000 to storm chase and he had every right to be in the middle of the road” and even has an emergency manager saying “We tried to run them off, but they have every legal right to be out there, even if they are in our way.” Since when to private citizens have the right to block roads during an emergency ? …. I have never seen a jurisdiction where the police allowed that to happen.