4 June 2004

Tornado spotters perform an essential service

Editor,

I am the secretary of MADISON AREA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MAST) a local chapter of the Society of Amateur Scientists. I am writing to express my concern for the safety of the people of Dane County, Wisconsin.

In 1999, MAST began providing a free tornado spotting service to the people of Dane county. George Hrabovsky, the president of MAST, had generously provided training and 24-hour support to a group of volunteers who were committed to assisting the National Weather Service in warning the public of an approaching tornado. Two years ago, MAST realized that if it was going to continue to provide this service in an effective manner, MAST would need income to cover operating expenses. MAST attempted to find funding from Dane County, the Federal Government, and local corporations. After a lengthy search, MAST was unable to find the necessary funding and was forced to discontinue the Tornado Spotter Network. Dane county is currently without a properly trained tornado spotter network.

On Sunday, 23 May 2004, the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch because conditions were favorable for the formation of tornadoes. If the Tornado Spotter Network were still operational I would have joined my fellow spotters in traveling to strategic locations throughout the county to watch for a tornado. Instead, I was at home watching the National Weather Service's Doppler radar as well as the sky for my own personal safety. At approximately 7:00 PM I looked out my back door and saw a tornado within a mile of my home. NO TORNADO SIRENS WERE ACTIVATED. Due to my experience as a tornado spotter, and the NWS Doppler radar, I knew I was in a safe location to view the tornado and took the enclosed photos.

I instinctively called George, as he would have been the central relay station for the Tornado Spotter Network. He was unreachable. I then tried seven times to call 911 in an attempt to get the tornado sirens turned on. Each time the line was busy. After the seventh call, approximately a minute after first spotting the tornado, the sirens were activated. The sirens ran for approximately 30 seconds and then shut down while the tornado was still on the ground. Fortunately for me and my neighbors in De Forest, the tornado just skirted the southeast part of town. Had the tornado been 1 mile further west, it would have certainly done damage and probably killed someone. There was no warning for the people of De Forest. The tornado would have claimed its victims by the time the sirens blew.

This could have been any town in Dane county. Last Sunday was a wake up call for myself and should have been for my fellow residents of Dane county. Tornado spotting is an essential service provided by local citizens. Had MAST been able to afford to operate the Tornado Spotter Network I am confident the tornado sirens would have been activated before the tornado was capable of doing damage. Tornado spotting saves lives every year and the people of Dane county need to wake up and recognize the importance of funding their local spotter network.

Sincerely,

John Thousand
Secretary
Madison Area Science and Technology