Central Kansas Officials Criticize Storm Chasers
Associated Press - Tue 11:18 AM 04/17/2012
Some central Kansas safety officials say storm chasers created traffic jams and put others in danger while following severe weather that hit the state during the weekend.
Some central Kansas safety officials say storm chasers created traffic jams and put others in danger while following severe weather that hit the state during the weekend.
But professional storm chasers are defending the practice, saying they provide valuable information to public officials during stormy weather.
Dickinson County officials compared traffic to a funeral procession along some roads and highways during storms Saturday in northwest portions of the county. They say that some storm chasers would not move for emergency vehicles and drove over active power lines.
Lanny Dean, who runs an Oklahoma-based storm chasing company, contends legitimate storm chasers help provide information and educate their customers about weather dangers. He says amateurs who cause the problems are giving professionals a bad name.
Tyler Henoch was chasing for KSAL Radio. He says that he observed drivers failing to yield to emergency response vehicles that were traveling with lights and sirens activated. Henoch said it appeared that the professional storm chasers he encountered were acting responsibly, while it was amateurs and sight-seers who were not.
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Associated Press Information from: The Salina Journal
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GETALIFE674
Tuesday 17 April 2012 11:43 Report this comment
I read in the paper where the dickinson county guy was complaining. After reading the story in the paper this guy is a jerk and should be selling hot dogs at Risenhower center. He made a statement he was behind a tornado at amos rd and I70 and it sat there for five minutes. The storm was moving some 50 or more miles an hour so no way that could happen and if it was on the ground there is no way it would sit in one spot that long. Then he was whining about people on the road calling them storm chasers when he had no real knowledge whether they were or not. Dickinson county needs to replace this idiot.
aschosh
Tuesday 17 April 2012 11:52 Report this comment
I was listening to someone trying to get home and check on his home when he came across a road that was FULL of chasers. He said there were 30-40 vehicles parked on the side of the road trying to get pics of the storm, and that one gawker had rear-ended another and shoved the vehicle into a near by field. People get stupid while chasing if they only do it when storms hit their area. There are others that get stupid just trying to get the best shot. People need to just be aware of everything around them, not just the storm. I have seen some of these chasers in action, and they don't pay attention to anything going on around them, just the tornado they are trying to intercept.
WangoTango
Tuesday 17 April 2012 11:58 Report this comment
What is the difference between a professional and an amateur stormchaser? The number of times they have watched 'Twister'. I'm sure the pros have it on DVD.
darkhorse
Tuesday 17 April 2012 12:37 Report this comment
Once again the idiots that have the titles make Kansas look like a bunch of inbreds. It was the idiots that live over there that was clogging up traffic! Please! I agree with getalife, those guys are idiots and should know better than to criticize in the media. That's like Public Relations 101! Can't wait to go home and see the National News tonight after they pick up on this. I can imagine Smith and Homan whining about it to the reporters. Face it Dickinson County, this was the most excitement you've had since they buried Ike, and you can't handle the crowd control. Maybe if Barney and Sheriff Taylor weren't down at Carol Lee's it could have been handled much better.
Iamgonnagetu
Tuesday 17 April 2012 13:15 Report this comment
Seems simple to me. These are public roads open to anyone at any time unless law enforcement puts up road blocks. Therefore this Chancy fellow is way off base. Then to meet with the press and make the statements he has shows he is incapable of doing his job.
loudmouth
Tuesday 17 April 2012 13:25 Report this comment
I just have to laugh at the morons that comment on this article. I was in Solomon when the tornado went over the town. The point of this is that "storm chasers" do no care about anyone but getting that infamous shot of a tornado...and please tell me what the point is. They do not call into any dispatcher center to help them out and let them know where the tornado is as they say they do. They are saying that it is crazy for them to be driving and stopping in the road to take a picture of a tornado that in 20 minutes or less no one is going to care about. Law enforcement/emergency personnel need to get thru to help the people who need it. So GETALIFE674...Please get just that...A LIFE!!!
Beth
Tuesday 17 April 2012 13:39 Report this comment
If you want a glimpse into the typical storm chaser's uh.. representation.. show up at a storm chasers training meeting. You will gain a reasonable explanation for the zealous behavior. Many desperately want to be the one who's information makes the airwaves. Some, however, are driven by warning people and keeping the system fed with the most real-time data possible. They are not seeking thrills or accolades and they are not hard to identify in the crowd at any meeting for the same.
GETALIFE674
Tuesday 17 April 2012 13:41 Report this comment
loudmouth that is just what you are plus a blow heart. It has been said that the roads are public and of all the pictures posted on here or in the papers there is not one showing any traffic jams. Whether you like it or not people have a right to be out. Now will there be some jerks you bet but the emergency vehicles can still pass them to get where they are going. I was out there and I saw emergency vehicles passing these people going 75 to 80 miles an hour much to fast for conditions. Crashing their vehicles is not going to help anyone either. Also to lable every car on the road as a storm chaser is inaccurate as well unless you stopped every car and did a survey your wrong on this count as well.
loudmouth
Tuesday 17 April 2012 14:08 Report this comment
First of all if your going to call me a name...please make sure you use it correctly. By you calling me a blow heart I am going to guess you are calling me a blow hard. Yes it is a public road and anyone can drive them, but please tell me the point of stopping in the middle of the road and getting out a tripod to get a picture of a tornado? They are gaining nothing by doing this other then causing serious problems. I was out and almost got hit numerous times by "Chasers" or whoever they are and am thankful that I have quick reflexes and could move out of the way. Last time I checked emergency vehicles are aloud to go that fast to an emergency situation and I am guessing that a tornado taking out a house or an outbuilding is going to me and EMERGENCY!!
buckstay
Tuesday 17 April 2012 14:24 Report this comment
Folks! Would it be "Out of Line" to have anyone arrested crossing blown down power lines, not giving the "Right of Way" to emergency vehicles, or just blocking the road. I think not. Designated storm chasers should be qualified, limited in number, and have a constant ability to communicate with police and any other emergency official that is involved. Absolutely we don't need a parade around every storm for safety reasons alone. Here we are in a reactive situation instead instead of a proactive one. There should have been a system or program in place about storm chasing a long time ago. I'll bet there is one on the horizon now. "PLEASE BE SAFE"
darkhorse
Tuesday 17 April 2012 15:33 Report this comment
Last time I checked emergency vehicles are aloud to go that fast to an emergency situation and I am guessing that a tornado taking out a house or an outbuilding is going to me and EMERGENCY!! I believe it should be: Last time I checked emergency vehicles are allowed to go that fast to an emergency situation and I am guessing that a tornado taking out a house or an out building is going to be an EMERGENCY!!
THEENFORCER
Tuesday 17 April 2012 16:01 Report this comment
Been reading all of this first loudmouth hope I spelled it correctly as not to upset you like the other person did. One question what the heck were you doing out? You see its people like you that cause congestion. Dark horse you are right but in training they are all told drive the appropriate speed for the situation. Now wet streets and down power lines trees and debris does not call for driving like a maniac plain and simple.
loudmouth
Tuesday 17 April 2012 16:06 Report this comment
Actually I was on my way home to Solomon from getting my children from their grandparents. I was coming into Solomon because I live there and was trying to get home and into my basement away from the storm.
wasteland_sage
Tuesday 17 April 2012 17:06 Report this comment
Okay let's break a few things down. First off yes, the roads are public for anyone not causing a traffic hazard. Otherwise there are rules and laws that are in place to prevent/police that. Secondly, in the heat of the moment, people can and do drive like idiots. Even some law enforcement. There were far too many people out taking photos of these storms. It's been said that this storm system was one of the best for chaser's that's been seen in decades. Professional Chasers still don't have the right to break traffic laws. Tornadoes are most certainly an emergency, but that does not give storm chasers the right to break any form of traffic law. It's the same situation with family members. If a family member has a heart attack, you still don't have the right to break the law to get to their side. When you put more than your own life at risk, you're causing an issue.
wasteland_sage
Tuesday 17 April 2012 17:06 Report this comment
Yes there are difference in professional storm chasers and the amateurs out there only for a photo. That distinction should have been made. However, if any of the emergency responders had stopped and taken the time to see who were professionals, and who just needed to be moved along, we would be having a different discussion about a lack of responsibility in how they didn't aid the public. Bottom line: Whether you're a professional or not, don't break the law and don't cause harm to others in what you're doing.
getumgranny
Tuesday 17 April 2012 17:12 Report this comment
WOW!!! People, people, everyone was hanging on to their tail-ends the other night!! I personally was grateful we had our storm chasers and spotters out here keeping an eye and reporting in to the news channels where and what was happening. I will admit, perhaps there were way more out there than we needed and some may have been doing more "sight-seeing" than actual reporting, but at least we were well informed. I believe before our next big tornado activity, emergency management officials should look into this and maybe organize these people a little better so they are not all running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
getumgranny
Tuesday 17 April 2012 17:19 Report this comment
Oh, and to the ones that were sitting out on interstate, and up on Coronado heights with their families waiting for the "big show", please stay home and safe next time. From what I was hearing on the radio the biggest problem was the ones that chose to turn the storm into a new spectator sport. Everyone was trying to get the money shot of the tornado's I guess. Not this old lady, You can bet I will just stay in my basement and wait till it's safe to come out. I'm not saying everyone should be scared to death, just that everyone needs to respect the danger these storms present!!
wasteland_sage
Tuesday 17 April 2012 18:09 Report this comment
Well you see, the problem is that there is no efficient way to organize individuals that are out there just for pure fun/sport. There are those out there that use HAM radios to communicate with the National Weather Service but most of them don't coordinate with local emergency personnel. To be quite honest, its a cluster. There are more "professionals" than there are what I would call "true professionals" than ever before thanks to the Discovery Channel. I agree with your Granny; respect these storms, and the people trying to save your lives.
Ouray161
Tuesday 17 April 2012 19:20 Report this comment
In 2008 while chasing I watched the Clay County EM driver her vehicle into powerlines that were sagging 4 feet over the road, she was speeding fast enough she couldn't get stopped in time. Then there was the night-time tornado that passed north of Beloit and headed toward Jamestown (2008) where I was chasing and topped over a hill - and to my surprise there is KSAL's Henry Diehl parked smack-dab in the driving lane, no brake lights, headlights, warning lights of any kind. The reflectors on the back of his muddy pickup didn't show, and we nearly had a very bad accident. So, the EM's and the local media are also problematic at times. I get tired of the BS that its the chasers that are the problem. I'd take experienced chasers over these other wankers any day.
jn2630
Tuesday 17 April 2012 19:27 Report this comment
Yay!! lets gear up for another cause, new city ordinances, and penalties for being out trying to see the storms... NOT
THEENFORCER
Wednesday 18 April 2012 09:15 Report this comment
You also got the problem with all the vollinteer people that ordinary do a very good job on day to day matters but tend to get out of hand on situations like this. Do not know why because they usually handle things professionally anyother time.
GETALIFE674
Wednesday 18 April 2012 12:47 Report this comment
I assume then you were driving faster than normal. These emergency people get hyped up when something like this occurs and they definately need more training. Unless there is a police presence you are not going to stop the gawkers. I believe if a guy was in front of me with a tri pod in the middle of the road he would get the horn and if he did not move the front bumper bet he would move then.