North Texas is like living in Oklahoma or Kansas...as one who lives and works in "Tornado Alley", anyone living in this area of the country would agree with the aptly named location. We've been blessed with great rains in the month of May, much of it welcome news for drought stricken Texas and Southern Oklahoma. On May 2, 2015, our main reservoir were at 19 percent capacity, with a long week of steady rain, it stood at just below 50%, this is great news and as we locally hold our breath, as our community leaders under pressure from greedy business people, decide whether to lift the Stage 5 drought restrictions.
While I prepared yesterday for yesterdays round of thunderstorms and potential tornadoes, I reflected how the city that I live in, has become too unprepared. Despite media releases commemorating "Terrible Tuesday" and recent devastating tornados that affected the communities of Moore, OK and other communities stricken with tornados, I've been totally perplexed by the apathy of most Americans. As my family prepared to go underneath into our bunker last night, I took a quick peak from our garage door to see not only many of my neighbors gawking skyward, siren blaring, and one of my neighbors asking me "what she should do", I said, take shelter immediately, as the tornado was on weather radar, only 7 miles away.
As my shelter has a communication/command hub, my family hunkered down to watch the weather-news on a 50 inch and I monitored the HAM/CB radios nets for incoming weather spotter news. Granted, as we finally realized the sirens were kicked off for the entire city, as spotty information from the local news and calls from panicky citizens reported tornado sittings around the city. Granted, as I watched the weather radar, I only saw only three potential "hooks" that could possibly show ample rotation to be called a "vortex". Throwing caution to the wind (no pun intended), as many families north of us, experienced devastating losses in southern Oklahoma communities and three confirmed sitting skipping across I-44, I was not prepared to risk my family for an "early all-clear". We waited for another 30 minutes before coming out of the bunker, as the storm brushed outside our city. As these super cells joined together, the fuel to help these vortexes eventually downgraded into one very elongated thunderstorm.
I give credit to the city EM, for being prudent for giving the nod for the sirens, as anyone who has experienced a tornado event will tell you..."tornados are very unstable and can appear from nowhere". As we brace for another week of rain. I praise the old man upstairs for bringing rain and hope that my neighbors take this little episode seriously to prepare for one that could happen in the future.
I know it may be very unchristian not to offer my shelter, but I live in a moderately wealthy neighborhood and feel that they should plan/invest like I do. I know that sound selfish, but we've all discussed this at length...how you would handle a situation, for me, opting not to advertise my preps, is something is part of my operational security to protect my family.
Have a restful Sunday.
While I prepared yesterday for yesterdays round of thunderstorms and potential tornadoes, I reflected how the city that I live in, has become too unprepared. Despite media releases commemorating "Terrible Tuesday" and recent devastating tornados that affected the communities of Moore, OK and other communities stricken with tornados, I've been totally perplexed by the apathy of most Americans. As my family prepared to go underneath into our bunker last night, I took a quick peak from our garage door to see not only many of my neighbors gawking skyward, siren blaring, and one of my neighbors asking me "what she should do", I said, take shelter immediately, as the tornado was on weather radar, only 7 miles away.
As my shelter has a communication/command hub, my family hunkered down to watch the weather-news on a 50 inch and I monitored the HAM/CB radios nets for incoming weather spotter news. Granted, as we finally realized the sirens were kicked off for the entire city, as spotty information from the local news and calls from panicky citizens reported tornado sittings around the city. Granted, as I watched the weather radar, I only saw only three potential "hooks" that could possibly show ample rotation to be called a "vortex". Throwing caution to the wind (no pun intended), as many families north of us, experienced devastating losses in southern Oklahoma communities and three confirmed sitting skipping across I-44, I was not prepared to risk my family for an "early all-clear". We waited for another 30 minutes before coming out of the bunker, as the storm brushed outside our city. As these super cells joined together, the fuel to help these vortexes eventually downgraded into one very elongated thunderstorm.
I give credit to the city EM, for being prudent for giving the nod for the sirens, as anyone who has experienced a tornado event will tell you..."tornados are very unstable and can appear from nowhere". As we brace for another week of rain. I praise the old man upstairs for bringing rain and hope that my neighbors take this little episode seriously to prepare for one that could happen in the future.
I know it may be very unchristian not to offer my shelter, but I live in a moderately wealthy neighborhood and feel that they should plan/invest like I do. I know that sound selfish, but we've all discussed this at length...how you would handle a situation, for me, opting not to advertise my preps, is something is part of my operational security to protect my family.
Have a restful Sunday.
