Documented examples of chasers saving lives

[Dan Robinson]

From the responses I've had so far, it can be said that there are at least a few examples of livesaving actions, or at least efforts to that intent. Though, it appears they are quite rare and mostly associated with assisting in search and rescue efforts.

A few questions think about:

- What are the probabilities that a single chaser going out will end up in a position to save a life?

- How do these probabilites compare to the livesaving potential with participation in other hobbies/avocations? (IE, is it similar to the hypothetical golfer performing the Heimlich maneuver on a bystander?)

- How do these probabilities stack up to the livesaving potential of the everyday citizen in daily life (being first to arrive at a car accident, calling 911 for a house fire, etc).

The "life-saving" issue has a lot of deeper aspects that might be worthy of discussion (and maybe another thread). For example, weather-related fatalities altogether average around 1,000 per year in the USA, while auto accident fatalities are over 30,000 per year. It makes me wonder if some of the efforts and funds we put toward weather hazard mitigation might be better spent if the goal is to save lives - like working toward ESC and collision avoidance systems in all cars and trucks.

I recognize the fact that people tend to get involved in causes/careers that match their field of interest, and strain to find nobility and justification in what they do even if little of that exists. I don't think that is always wrong, but it is an issue worth examining.

 

[rdale]

I'm not sure what you mean by changing the way we disseminate funds for weather hazard mitigation... How is it not being spent to save lives?

 

[Andy Jackson]

For example, weather-related fatalities altogether average around 1,000 per year in the USA, while auto accident fatalities are over 30,000 per year. It makes me wonder if some of the efforts and funds we put toward weather hazard mitigation might be better spent if the goal is to save lives - like working toward ESC and collision avoidance systems in all cars and trucks.

That's the point, it used to be a lot worse look at some of the old tornado fatality counts. Or better yet read about the Galveston hurricane of 1900 there's your difference.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Some of the funding, not all. I wouldn't suggest taking resources from tornadoes, hurricanes and floods.

 

[Jason Foster]

That's the point, it used to be a lot worse look at some of the old tornado fatality counts. Or better yet read about the Galveston hurricane of 1900 there's your difference.

I'm only skimming the longer posts, so maybe things got off-topic, but the change in deaths has nothing to do with chasers. I'd argue it really has less to do with good forecasting. Looking back that far (and up through the 1960s) speed of communication of warnings is the primary change. Mike Smith's book even touched on that some.

 

[Andy Jackson]

I'm only skimming the longer posts, so maybe things got off-topic, but the change in deaths has nothing to do with chasers. I'd argue it really has less to do with good forecasting. Looking back that far (and up through the 1960s) speed of communication of warnings is the primary change. Mike Smith's book even touched on that some.

Right, I was just responding to Dan's post, sorry if it's off topic.

 

[JF Massicotte]

I was on a talk last year, and I remember someone strting on the subject and said that he chased beacause he wanted to save lives. I told him he was in the wrong business and that being paramedic offered much better opportunity here.

I would also add that I 'm not sure that the Greensburg case would be a good reference: I remember seeing radar velovity from this storm and I doubt that anyone at Dodge City really needed to confirm there was a violent tornado going to hit the town.

I do see, however, how someone could run into damaged home and 'save' someone's life while acting as first responder.

 

[Andy Jackson]

I was on a talk last year, and I remember someone strting on the subject and said that he chased beacause he wanted to save lives. I told him he was in the wrong business and that being paramedic offered much better opportunity here.


I do see, however, how someone could run into damaged home and 'save' someone's life while acting as first responder.

Good point. I think it also depends on the conscience of the chaser as well, some would immediately abort the chase if they came across some not.

 

[scott r currens]

I would also add that I 'm not sure that the Greensburg case would be a good reference: I remember seeing radar velovity from this storm and I doubt that anyone at Dodge City really needed to confirm there was a violent tornado going to hit the town.

I wonder if Mike U would have issued the controversial "Tornado Emergency" without spotter/chaser conformation of a significant tornado.

I think spotter and chaser reports save lives even if you can't go case by case and determine which individual reports saved a life. I have no doubt that the absence of reports would result in greater lose of life over time. If our reports don't save lives then what is the point?

 

[Justin Wilcox]

Once i called my neighbor who lived down the road from me and told her to put her vehicle in the garage. I saved her trucks paint and windshield from serious hail damage....