Indiegogo Chase and School Safety Campaign

[brendanschaperwx]

StormTrack,

This post has been amended as an apology to the chase community and whomever else stumbles upon it. Most of you, I've never met...or any of you for that matter. Nothing will change your thoughts on my post or what not, but I've spoken to the proper individuals about their video and mine, which has been removed.

Young, yes. Learning, yes. I don't consider myself any more than an enthusiast. Looking for excuses? Not at all. I am aware of what I did and have done my best to remove my doing.

Thirdly, I do not ask for any handouts, nor did I intend for it to sound that way. It was a premature idea not collectively thought out.

I've taken this as a step in my learning career, which obviously I have a lot left to do, and am appreciative of the very honest feedback that was given. However, I am a person. Not out searching for money or glory, rather trying to emulate what I've seen so many do in the past. Chase storms in every sense of the meaning. But what I hope does not continue or come out of this is degrading the person I am. I feel awful, shamed, and know now how serious the community takes this. More apologetic than a kid who sneaks out at night and their parents find out? I am.

To whomever I offended, I apologize. Let this be a big lesson for me and the future. I am on here to learn and listen, and in this case, I've learned and listened.

 

[Skip Talbot]

Hi Brendan, thanks for sharing your project here and I encourage you to pursue it to its fullest. I'd just like to say right off the bat this post may be met by some aversion as many members view these campaigns as asking for handouts to fund a hobby or vacation, when they work long hours to pay for their own hobbies and vacations. As a result, this forum might not be the best venue to promote this project. I know you're not trying to market this as a hobby or vacation, but I think you need to clarify to potential backers how storm chasing is a public service and not a hobby, and how practical and useful this storm chasing public service can actually be. For example:

-Stream live video to computer or mobile device
-Provide confirmation of dangerous weather

Will you be streaming all events or will you be out only on select events depending on your schedules?

-Direct the public to a proper shelter AND help in recovery from the storm

What's your coverage area for this service? What are your qualifications for providing this service? Will there be times when this service is not available? Should residents rely on this as a consistent emergency service?

-Another goal of ours is to help schools develop efficient storm sheltering plans

Again, do you have any experience or qualifications for offering this service?

-During the spring, Twister Truth will be covering specific locations such as:-Starkville, MS / Tuscaloosa, AL / St. Louis, MO

Why these cities? Is that where you guys are from? What about other locations? What do you mean by thoroughly informed? How thorough is your information compared to that of the National Weather Service or local media? Why should residents not from these cities contribute to the project? Why should residents from these cities monitor your information instead of sources such as the NWS and local media?

Storm chasing has entertainment value, and it is a growing hobby among many. However, this is what sets Twister Truth apart from the rest. We are students and enthusiasts, being professionally trained and groomed by the best in meteorology. And we particularly see this as an enriching experience for all, not just a reality show.

So how does this set you apart from everyone else? There are many storm chasers who are professional meteorologists, research scientists, emergency managers, or first responders. Who are your professional trainers?

Storm chasing is very dangerous and requires hours of study, preferably at a collegiate level.

I'm not sure I agree with either of these claims. Storm chasing can be a relatively safe hobby, and certainly doesn't require a college education to be efffective. I'm not even sure a formal education in meteorology makes you a better storm chaser than being self taught.

-Trained spotters through the Spotter Network

Is this the reporting guidelines and 20-something question quiz on the spotter network website? Is that a comprehensive spotter training or just a way to vet members?

-American Red Cross Certified chaser

What does this mean? What classes did you take? What are you certified to do? CPR? AED? Life guard? The American Red Cross doesn't have "certified chasers".


What in the field experience do you have? What events have you covered? What disasters have you responded to? How did you help? Where are your tornado videos and photos? How long have you been chasing? Where have you been chasing? What's your current education level? What are your certifications?

The last thing I want to do is discourage aspiring chasers and meteorologists. However, I'm not sure this is the right approach to getting into chasing. I think it's misleading and maybe even a little dishonest to pander to the public as providing a storm chasing service. Storm chasers have provided invaluable help through disaster response, severe weather reporting, and relief aid. These are incidental to the hobby, however, and not the primary reason for the hobby. We chase to see and document storms and tornadoes. I think if you want support from this community, you're going to have to be up front and honest about that.

 

[Shane Adams]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC8nALcryOk

That link covers my basic opinion on the crowd funding thing. There will be a new show tonight touching more on this particular situation.

 

[Caleb Grunzke]

Storm chasing has entertainment value, and it is a growing hobby among many. However, this is what sets Twister Truth apart from the rest. We are students and enthusiasts, being professionally trained and groomed by the best in meteorology.

So how does this set you apart from everyone else? There are many storm chasers who are professional meteorologists, research scientists, emergency managers, or first responders. Who are your professional trainers?

To add to this part, I can assume that some of your colleagues attend Mississippi State since you say that they are in college and some are located in Starksville, MS. When you say that you all are meteorologists, are these people taking the 4-year Bachelors of Science degree or just the 2-year TV met or online degree? The 4-year degree actually makes you a certified meteorologist while the others make you look like one without actually teaching how the science works. The term "professional meteorologist" doesn't really apply to the lesser two degrees either.

It's a huge pet-peeve of mine when I see the term "meteorologist" used so loosely by people. Especially when I have my BS and am working toward my PhD.

 

[Justin Wilcox]

Then again, there are a lot of "meteorologists" who call themselves chasers...

 

[Jeff Duda]

Yeah...no. I don't support any part of this, and I wouldn't recommend anyone else waste their money on paying you just to chase. I don't see any legitimate societal goals here that an average Joe or Jane can't do with their own money. Why do you need people to give you their hard-earned money just so you can chase and essentially give nothing back to them?

Why You Should Be a Part
The campaign runs for a total of 60 days. A goal of $6,000 is not expansive like some you may have seen on Indiegogo. Here's why:

-We are students and low budget chasers/streamers, trying to provide extra safety to communities near and far
-Our campaign is strictly for gas, car upkeep, and technology management
-Indiegogo, our campaign partner of choice, receives 4-9% of our goal.

Oh please. You can make enough money to do this (without giving 4-9% back to a funding agency) by working at Burger King during the off-season. Just do the work and earn the money like everyone else does. Obviously I can't coerce anyone into not funding you, but I sure hope the people who do give you money realize they're throwing it away.

Skip was too nice: you're going to take a lot of flak for posting something like this on this forum.

Good luck...

 

[Ben Holcomb]

I need a lightbar kickstarter for the new kickin lightbars I want to put on my taurus.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Brendan, give me half of what you make, and I promise to notify the public of severe weather when I chase. I also promise to study at the collegiate level on non chase days. Thanks!

 

[Joey Ketcham]

-Another goal of ours is to help schools develop efficient storm sheltering plans

Unless you have the educational training, qualifications and experience in building/structural engineering, I would stay away from this and wouldn't even consider it. That's just asking for legal problems should a tornado hit a school that you developed storm shelter plans for. I work for a school district, and at least with the district I work with they're very very selective with whom they work with in developing tornado safety plans with.

 

[David Reimer]

Using another chaser's rather famous footage in your video promotion wasn't the smartest thing to do. I see you've gone and deleted the video but it was noticed. I'm hoping Shane comes in and shares his video response he made this evening to this campaign because he made several good points and it was flat out hilarious to watch.

 

[brendanschaperwx]

I hear you in every word, Skip. After this evening's discussion with a couple others I understand that my post struck some in the wrong way. I understand the consequences of using the InterWeb, and am using this as a learning experience.

Best!

 

[brendanschaperwx]

David, I talked to the appropriate persons about the issue. I in no way blame you for your post and agree wholeheartedly. People share their thoughts and others believe what they believe. Learning experience, this absolutely was. I apologize to you for any offense you may have taken to it and I've done what I can to regress the post.

Best

 

[Adam Lucio]

If you want to pursue chasing, drop the antics. Just get out there and chase. It doesn't matter how you look or what the results are and you don't need to try and justify why you're chasing with some public servant hero gimmick. All that matters is you are doing it honestly. That is the ONLY way to go far and earn respect within this community. Then again, maybe you don't give a damn about the community. However be warned, the public may blindly follow at first if you if you sell your appearance well enough, but they will catch on. They are far more ruthless than the chaser community when it comes to criticism.

 

[Marcus Diaz]

Well Brendan, you did the right thing here. You came in, owned up to your mistakes, and apologized. That's pretty much all you can do right now. Learn from this experience. It's important to gain your own style by experience instead of forcing everyone to look at what you're doing. Trust me, when in started out, I had some crazy extravagant ideas. But the one way I learned to be successful and respected in this hobby is to just go out and do it. And not just do it, but make wild guesses at targets. Then going in and failing at those targets. I don't think any newbies will believe me when I say you gain more respect at trying and failing at it on your own, then trying to ask everyone else to succeed for you.

 

[brendanschaperwx]

Well Brendan, you did the right thing here. You came in, owned up to your mistakes, and apologized. That's pretty much all you can do right now. Learn from this experience. It's important to gain your own style by experience instead of forcing everyone to look at what you're doing. Trust me, when in started out, I had some crazy extravagant ideas. But the one way I learned to be successful and respected in this hobby is to just go out and do it. And not just do it, but make wild guesses at targets. Then going in and failing at those targets. I don't think any newbies will believe me when I say you gain more respect at trying and failing at it on your own, then trying to ask everyone else to succeed for you.

You're right Marcus. Again, I don't and did not mean to offend ANYONE on here. I still plan on doing what I love and hope this is only a learning curve/small bump in the road along the way. There's nothing else I can do besides apologize, learn from this, and move on. Again, I joined StormTrack to learn. I've got much more of that to do and appreciate the people like you who help and give advice.

Best