Disaster planning ideas Posted on December 13, 2021 at 01:28:25 PM by Mother Natures lessons learned
Ignore the gadlfly whose never been in TV and done little in radio, probably never when the wx's kicks up.
We already know all TV stations' dream to catch video of a tornader suitable for its promotional value later. Just know people don't switch you on to see the tornado, they only wanna know if one's barreling down on their houses in time to hide.
So again, make sure at least one staffer, even if just a sales slug at the command center to hear and report to the weather team what all the spotters and other agencies are sayng before they waste minutes deciding when to broadcast warnings. Youre listeners will be glad for that heads up with 5 minutes of warning. Ya got the staff to do it; be prepared for cellphone tower failure RIGHT when you'd need it the most so go with a walkie.
Suggest to your audience not to rely on the wakeup weather radio. Tell em to assign a family member/staffer to be on guard by staying up, watching the internet and radar. Just as well, because that person won't get any sleep if the NWS radio warning sounder goes off for every county in the state. But you can get 30 to an hours warning if the LIKELIHOOD a line is bearing down menacingly. We've all watched TV weather long enough to read radar as well as or better than the next guy. It's on the internet; if your best host TV station is off the air, switch to Accuweather or the next nearest metro area TV station... All of their radars show pretty much the same tracking on their internet feeds in real time. Threatening storms aren't that hard to spot well before they actually move into your area, as you know. So watch em coming!
Just have their pages already programmed into your home/business's office browser's 'favorites' so you don't have to waste time googling the likely ones.
The more people you are responsible for, the more reason you should post a watcher. Urge companies to set up a storm spotter with the right equipment to watch on behalf of employees and customers and preplan a safe shelter with directions posted for them.
Yes, it can and likely WILL happen so you'll be glad you PLANNED AHEAD...Hospitals do it, the military does, schools do it. You should do it too. Think big, think beforehand. Replies: