Transcript PowerPoint Presentation - Chase Safety and the

Chase Safety and the
Consequences of Irresponsible
Chasing
Dr. Charles Doswell
CIMMS/OU & Doswell Scientific Consulting
An email from “R.C.”
It has been awhile since I have heard from you, oh but not to
worrie I have had all storm chasers blocked from my mail this way
I don,t have to read such vogar responces. According to a great
deal of t.v. crews in which I haved contacted find your story to be
full of dog do do as metioned in the subject. I don,t think the t.v.
crews likes this page very much mr dowswell. I will be doing
some chasing of my own in oklahoma this spring and be assured
I will drive through open feilds and open property. When it comes
to a tornado and comes to saving a life you have to do what you
have to do. I have a freind that goes to your storm chasing
meetings by the way, certain things that are said are repeated
back to me. Be aware in your group you have a unkown freind of
mine that tell,s off on you and jim, though jim is rarely in your
area these days. That was a sorry deal about the t.v. crew getting
arrested for driving through private feilds, also given the fact of
the idiot you had owned the property was no more then a low-life
do do head. By the way Jon Davis was guitly as hell! And again
when I chase I will do donuts and do what it takes and I will plow
through barnes if I have to when I chase....... Regards at least I
don,t have to get a vogar responce form you this time
around.....you and all the rest have been blocked from my
mail........again don,t bother to respond the mail will never get
back to me.....................
A chaser spectrum
• Outright crackpots like “R.C.” (need
help none of us can provide)
• Irresponsible yahoos (beyond help)
– Danger seekers
– Those needing to draw attention to
themselves
– Those willing to do anything to see a
tornado
• Wannabes with the best of intentions
• Experienced, responsible chasers
(don’t need any help)
Responsibility
• To whom are chasers supposed to be
responsible?
– The public
– Ourselves
– Other chasers
– The weather community
What does it require?
• Avoiding dangerous and/or reckless
behavior
– On the highways
– In and around storms
• Calling in storm reports, including
negative reports
– Cell phone
– Amateur radio
Requirements (cont’d)
• Avoiding any interference with
emergency responders
• Being a positive representative for
storm chasing
– Exemplary field behavior
– Thoughtful responses when interacting
with the public media
Negative chaser behavior
• Stupid risk-taking:
– Reckless driving
• Speeding, especially in traffic
• Failing to pull off the road when stopped
• Erratic behavior during chaser convergence
– Habitually taking chances with storms
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Core punching
Putting yourself in the path of danger
Engaging in a “Race to the crossing”
Night chasing w/o radar
Risks for the sake of $$ or “fame”
Negative behavior (cont’d)
• Not calling in reports, when needed
• Giving the media opportunities to exploit
you
– “I had to drive 100 mph to catch the
tornado”
– “We almost died there!”
• Bragging about what you saw “notches” in your gun
• Denigrating what someone else saw
Negative behavior (cont’d)
• Hoping that other chasers fail - to the
point of being happy when they do
• Being publicly excited about an event
that may have injured or killed people
and shattered their lives
• Forgetting that what we want to happen
can have devastating effects
Chaser Convergence
• Long lines of chasers playing leapfrog
• Exacerbated by local “chasers”
• Can represent a significant problem for
emergency responders
• It only takes a few, even isolated, cases
of irresponsible actions to create a very
negative impression
Scientific chase teams
• Not exempt from the need to be
responsible
• Even if law enforcement has agreed to
allow exemptions
• Should set the highest possible
standards
Media chase teams
• Many seem to think they are above the
law just by having a TV news team logo
on their vehicle
• Many inexperienced chasers, giving out
bad information
• Many wild exaggerations - “Anytown is
about to be destroyed”
Chase tour groups
• Including chase tours organized by
universities for their students
• Tour leaders are responsible for the
safety of their clients, and all others
– Taking stupid chasing risks
– Clients wandering about on the roadway
– Pulling completely off the roadway - closing
vehicle doors
Bad examples
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QuickTime™ and a
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QuickTime™ and a
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Consequences
• Increasingly negative public image of
chasers could lead to:
– Investigations by law enforcement and
legislatures
– Arrests on various charges - negative
media attention
– Legislation and regulation
– Banning of chasing other than for
mandated teams (media and science)
Consequences (cont’d)
• Personal exploitation by media
• Personal embarrassment
• Injuries and fatalities to chasers
– Put enough chasers in harm’s way …
• Injuries and fatalities to others
– Imagine living with this one …
What can we do?
• Call attention to obviously irresponsible
behavior
• Let irresponsible chasers know what
you think about their actions
• Other ideas?
From Gene Moore:
We the chase community will have to
come up with ideas to help the situation
and educate the public. We also need
to set ourselves aside as trained and
responsible individuals in the field, to
help when needed and to stay out of the
way the rest of the time.