Tornado warnings.....the human condition.

[lordofthereef]

I didn't make that statement. I was just saying that the sirens go off around here more than one may think.

Likewise, I wasn't responding to you, but rather to A.Nonymous, who did.

 

[A.Nonymous]

Eh, IDK. Here in Iowa, people take the sirens pretty seriously. I've honestly not heard one complaint. At the urgent care clinic where I work, our policy is basically to close shop even though we are in the basement level of a large building. I guess it's different depending on where you are. All that said, I don't think tornados are as prevalent here as elsewhere.

Still, what on earth is the point of the siren if people basically ignore it anyway?

What is the point of a siren when it's sounded several times a month and is a false alarm 99% of the time?

 

[pantlesspenguin]

Eh, IDK. Here in Iowa, people take the sirens pretty seriously. I've honestly not heard one complaint. At the urgent care clinic where I work, our policy is basically to close shop even though we are in the basement level of a large building. I guess it's different depending on where you are. All that said, I don't think tornados are as prevalent here as elsewhere.

Still, what on earth is the point of the siren if people basically ignore it anyway?

The sirens are there for advanced warning that there is possibly tornadic activity in the area. It doesn't necessarily mean that a tornado is on your doorstep.

 

[pantlesspenguin]

Likewise, I wasn't responding to you, but rather to A.Nonymous, who did.

Actually it was olbriar who made that statement initially .

 

[lordofthereef]

What is the point of a siren when it's sounded several times a month and is a false alarm 99% of the time?

IDK. I guess I don't see it as big of an inconvenience when I hear an alarm to stop what I am doing and inform myself further (ie with radio, internet, etc.) In theory, they should be going off when there is a touchdown nearby, to give people time to react, because there very well could be multiple touchdowns. All this is coming from a person who was born and raised in earthquake country where we would kill to have something warn us of even potential danger. I suppose people quickly take what resources they have for granted, as is the case with all things.

 

[lordofthereef]

Actually it was olbriar who made that statement initially .

ok... apologies. I think the point was that it wasn't a direct response to you, anyway. But thanks for the correction.

 

[A.Nonymous]

IDK. I guess I don't see it as big of an inconvenience when I hear an alarm to stop what I am doing and inform myself further (ie with radio, internet, etc.) In theory, they should be going off when there is a touchdown nearby, to give people time to react, because there very well could be multiple touchdowns. All this is coming from a person who was born and raised in earthquake country where we would kill to have something warn us of even potential danger. I suppose people quickly take what resources they have for granted, as is the case with all things.

Here in KS, when the sirens go off, it basically goes like this:

Sirens go off.
People look at the sky.
If sky does not look "tornadoey" they go about their business.
If sky looks "tornadoey" they take cover.

Now, if the sirens only went off when there was a serious and immediate threat, they'd probably get treated a lot differently.

 

[pantlesspenguin]

ok... apologies. I think the point was that it wasn't a direct response to you, anyway. But thanks for the correction.

No worries . I agree that the whole "nothing would get done" statement was a bit drastic, but there is a tiny element of truth to it when it comes to businesses shutting down every time the siren sounds.

Here in KS, when the sirens go off, it basically goes like this:

Sirens go off.
People look at the sky.
If sky does not look "tornadoey" they go about their business.
If sky looks "tornadoey" they take cover.

Now, if the sirens only went off when there was a serious and immediate threat, they'd probably get treated a lot differently.

Couldn't have put this better myself.

 

[lordofthereef]

Here in KS, when the sirens go off, it basically goes like this:

Sirens go off.
People look at the sky.
If sky does not look "tornadoey" they go about their business.
If sky looks "tornadoey" they take cover.

Now, if the sirens only went off when there was a serious and immediate threat, they'd probably get treated a lot differently.

Fair enough. I guess there was a bit of assumption from both parties here. I (perhaps unfairly) was assuming that the sirens work for the OP the way they do here (in IA). Others (perhaps equally unfairly) assumed that the people who set the sirens off are triggerhappy.

That said, based on the initial post, I was leaning towards the weather looking bad enough that the OP felt the shelter should be sought.

I suppose we won't really know without more input from the OP

 

[pantlesspenguin]

Others (perhaps equally unfairly) assumed that the people who set the sirens off are triggerhappy.

It's not so much that the people who set the sirens off are trigger happy, we just know there is a set protocol for these things & know that TYPICALLY the sounding of the sirens doesn't necessarily mean an immedate threat. With the advent of smartphones, I can check the map immediately when I hear the sirens or hear the alert on my phone (a lot of the time I'll get an alert on my phone before the siren goes off). I can see where the storm is headed & even turn on NOAA weather radio if I feel the need.

 

[A.Nonymous]

The other thing that happens here is that the sirens around here are pretty old and will sometimes go off prematurely. (Insert pun here.) They test them the first Monday (or is it Tuesday, I can't remember) of the month so people tend to tune them out because they do tend to hear them pretty frequently. As mentioned, they're a county wide thing. Unlike an earthquake, a tornado 30 miles away is going to have zero affect on you where you are, yet they'll go off the same for the tornado 30 miles away as they will for the one in your backyard.

 

[A.Nonymous]

It's not so much that the people who set the sirens off are trigger happy, we just know there is a set protocol for these things & know that TYPICALLY the sounding of the sirens doesn't necessarily mean an immedate threat. With the advent of smartphones, I can check the map immediately when I hear the sirens or hear the alert on my phone (a lot of the time I'll get an alert on my phone before the siren goes off). I can see where the storm is headed & even turn on NOAA weather radio if I feel the need.

Here the protocol is that they're set off whenever there is a tornado warning issued. Smartphones are definitely nice, but we did ok just eyeballing the sky. I think kids today are losing the ability to eyeball the sky during a storm and tell what's going to happen. That's my old man rant.

 

[lordofthereef]

I will probably never learn. I moved here when I turned 22 and am moving back home (CA) when I hit 26 (I am here for school if that wasn't clear). For that reason I am personally pretty pleased that there are protocols to attempt to keep me safe

 

[pantlesspenguin]

Here the protocol is that they're set off whenever there is a tornado warning issued. Smartphones are definitely nice, but we did ok just eyeballing the sky. I think kids today are losing the ability to eyeball the sky during a storm and tell what's going to happen. That's my old man rant.

Do yours go off for "radar indicated" tornadoes as well? Like when there is rotation in a storm indicated by radar, but no tornado has actually been spotted? This is the case here the majority of the time, & like 99% of the time there isn't even an actual tornado, just strong rotation.

Edited to add: Don't call yourself an old man! I'm older than you!

 

[A.Nonymous]

They are set off when the NWS issues a tornado warning. Whatever the NWS criteria is for that, I have no clue, but that's the trigger. That and fools in the emergency management center who accidentally hit the button. Not that that's ever happened.

 

[big_z]

I live in Kansas too, the suburbs of Kansas City. While the show 24 was on, I dreaded April and May. There could be a tornado warning near the Nebraska/Missouri/Iowa border (that's 100 miles away from KC) and all of the local stations would sprout their weather woodies and preempt the shows. And, of course, if local SUPER/4WARN/DEATH/DESTRUCTION/NEXRAD/DOPPLER radar picks up a hint of rotation, bring on the sirens.

I've lived in Kansas almost all of my life. Last year, I went to Phoenix to see some Royals' spring training. I was more scared about getting stung by the dreaded Arizona bark scorpion in those 3 days I spent in Phoenix than I've ever feared a tornado here.

 

[pantlesspenguin]

I live in Kansas too, the suburbs of Kansas City. While the show 24 was on, I dreaded April and May. There could be a tornado warning near the Nebraska/Missouri/Iowa border (that's 100 miles away from KC) and all of the local stations would sprout their weather woodies and preempt the shows. And, of course, if local SUPER/4WARN/DEATH/DESTRUCTION/NEXRAD/DOPPLER radar picks up a hint of rotation, bring on the sirens.

I've lived in Kansas almost all of my life. Last year, I went to Phoenix to see some Royals' spring training. I was more scared about getting stung by the dreaded Arizona bark scorpion in those 3 days I spent in Phoenix than I've ever feared a tornado here.

Not as bad as KCTV5 a couple years ago when Katie Horner would break in at the first sign of rain. She had since calmed down due to several people complaining. There are still facebook groups and twitter accounts that make fun of her, though.