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chaser. “You see Mom and Pop and kids out underneath bridges to watch.” Some 300 chasers, news crews, researchers, photographers, vanloads of tour- ists, and teens with smartphones jammed highways to get a look at the El Reno EF5. In a similar way, there was such a convergence of “gawkers” for the tor- nado that struck Salina, Kan., in April 2012 that emergency responders were unable to reach a house destroyed by wind. Dean launched his Extreme Chase Tours in 1999 after “Twister” made


Oklahoma’s storm season a tourist attraction that draws people from around the world. He pounds out 70,000 miles a year chasing clouds for the education and curiosity of his clients and has appeared on National Geographic and the Discovery Channel’s “Storm Chasers.” His vehicles bear the scars of his occupation. Oklahomans rely primarily on radio and TV for weather warnings. When severe weather looms, Tulsa’s News on 6 meteorologist Alan Crone becomes one of the most popular personalities on television. In addition to delivering his daily forecast, Crone and fellow meteorologist Mike Grogan take to the field in their intercept truck to stream live storm coverage back to the station.


“It’s all hands on deck when weather approaches,” he says. It’s also “all hands on deck” for responder agencies when tornadoes strike.


In Moore, approximately 250 co-op member homes were damaged or de- stroyed. Even before the wind settled, police and fire departments, medical personnel, and members of volunteer organizations penetrated the devastation to rescue survivors. Relief agencies like Red Cross and Salvation Army followed to provide emergency necessities like first aid, food, and water.


Tornadoes of the magnitude of the May hatch often inflict damage to the electricity grid. May 2013 storms wiped out up to 300 poles and caused damage to other equipment and structures that affected 12,000 meters in electric co- operatives areas. The Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA), which supplies power to some electric cooperatives, maintains approximately 1,200 miles of electric transmis- sion lines in Oklahoma. “We monitor weather all the time,” explains Justin Alberty, GRDA com- munications director. “Our system alerts us within four seconds of where dam- age occurs so service can be restored within hours or even minutes.” U.S. electricity grids are interconnected throughout the state and nation,


which permits rerouting around damaged areas. Trying to flee a storm is not a safe choice, authorities warn. The May EF5


picked up a full-sized Dodge pickup and flung occupants 200 yards away. People in the path of a twister should immediately seek shelter in a cellar or a special tornado safe-room. The next best choice is an interior room, like a bathroom. The Red Cross recommends every Oklahoma family prepare a disaster plan


against storms and an emergency preparedness kit that includes water, a first aid kit, medications as required, and a battery-powered or hand-cranked emer- gency radio. “There is always a chance of getting hit by a tornado in Oklahoma,” con- cludes Bluestein. “Still, you’re more apt to get struck by a car than by a tor- nado.”


MAY 2014


15


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