Meteorologists Say Too Many People are Dying in Tornadoes
In 2011, there was an outbreak of 62 tornadoes in Alabama, killing 252 people. The leading meteorologist in Alabama, James Spann claims that the death toll is too high. Spann is pushing to redesign the warning process in Alabama, and hopes to carry his research with social scientists to other states. The problem Spann states, is that despite the hard science involved in predicting the severe outbreak people still died. It would seem to warrant that a timely warning would give people enough time to evacuate efficiently, but there are several reasons Spann discussed in a local news interview as to why even efficient warnings don’t work as intended.
The first thing he mentions is the “Siren Mentality.” It’s basically the belief that there will be an extremely loud siren that will reach anywhere and everywhere that people are in danger at all times through the night. It’s a bit disconcerting, admittedly to know that sirens are archaic in essence, and really only save a few nearby people that are outside. Really, the most efficient method that is used to warn people is by far an app or a text message directly to their phone. We carry our phones everywhere, and the alert can be set to always make a loud noise, capable of waking the individual from sleep.
Also, there are a large number of injuries and fatalities as the result of not using a helmet for everyone in the house. Some people don’t even keep readiness kits, and even much less often do they think to keep a helmet for everyone. Every standard sports helmet or bike helmet is all that is required to sufficiently shield individuals from debris.
The false alarm or “crying wolf” scenario apparently is responsible for many improper reactions resulting in death as well. In Birmingham, AL the ratio for 2011 (the year in examination) of false warning alarms was 80%. Herein, the majority of all alarms were deemed false by the general public afterwords. Hence the name of the scenario. The only real effort that can be made to alleviate this is to increase the accuracy and stay alert as a citizen. Being prepared is nothing if you don’t go through your plan with diligence.
Lastly, plain Confusion can lead to a staggering amount of unfortunate occurrences. The warning system definitely needs improvement, and great strides were taken in 2011 when far too many people died. There needs to be a more efficient and easily communicated method for alerting people. One that requires little explanation and almost universal understanding. Also, survival rates in homes with safe rooms are drastically higher than those without. It takes far less time to get inside a safe room as you don’t have to travel across town in dangerous and frantic traffic. You can keep supplies inside at all times, as well as heirlooms depending on what dimensions you choose.
We offer three different types of structures at Elephant Safe Rooms offers. The first being the safe room that can be installed in your home or outside, as an above ground structure. These safe rooms can also be shipped to you as a self-installation kit that is panelized and easy to install. This is the second option. The third and most safe structure that we offer is the underground bunker. The bunkers come in a variety of dimensions, and have the strongest deterrent available; they’re underground. If you have any questions about specifications or general information feel free to check out our website or call in for a free consultation!
