"Stormchasers" Jim Reed and Mike Theis on Today Sh

[HAltschule]

I just saw the video of these 2 "extreme stormchasers" on the Today Show. They were holed up inside the Holiday Inn in Gulfport, MS, I believe, and were surrounded by a dangerous storm surge that was flooding the hotel, breaking glass, sending a car through the entranceway and breaching the walls. They said they were "constantly evaluating whether they made a bad decision to be there and if they needed to move". Gee, you think?

The first thing that came to mind was the stupidity of these 2 "chasers" for putting themselves on the coast of a CAT 4/5 Hurricane at landfall. The second thing that came to mind was the really bad name it gives all of us "smart" and "safer" stormchasers. They are lucky to make it out alive. I'm glad they are OK but surprised at their lack of common sense. I recall the thread prior to landfall where almost all of us agreed that NO chaser should be in the path of this hurricane and to abort any plans to be on the coast. That was a smart consensus decision that obviously not everyone decided upon.

Sorry for the public blasting, but I am surprised and disturbed by their actions. Not to mention that if they got hurt, they would have taken rescue efforts away from someone else that really needed it.

 

[Rob_Davis]

Re: "Stormchasers" Jim Reed and Mike Theis on Toda

Yeah, there ought to be a rule for chasers: NEVER use the word "chaser" when giving interviews! Say you're a photojournalist. Say you're a filmaker. Say you're a research meteorologist. Whatever is true. But avoid trying to look like a big shot yahoo by using the C word. It hurts our reputation, which will affect how ALL of us get treated by officials and the public in the future. Not to mention that it just plain attracts the wrong kinds of people to the hobby.

 

[Edward Ballou]

With all due respect, there are many people that didn't realize the severity of the situation they faced. That's why "hundreds and maybe thousands are dead."

Don't condemn them for what they did. Chasers aren't just in it for the money. Hopefully their photage will be used in the future to show people why they need to evacuate.

I can't speak for them, but if I was down there to shoot film, I know that my purpose would be to inform people on why hurricanes or any other severe weather is not to be taken lightly.

 

[Rob_Davis]

Originally posted by Edward Ballou
I can't speak for them, but if I was down there to shoot film, I know that my purpose would be to inform people on why hurricanes or any other severe weather is not to be taken lightly.

I think that's a great idea. Too bad these guys didn't take the opportunity to do so. All they did was show a few million people, "Hey! You don't have to evacuate! Look at us -- we did it and now we're on tv!!"

I'm seriously starting to think that media relations should be required for storm chaser certification.

And those chasing without certification should be treated as looters.

 

[Mikey Gribble]

I don't see anything wrong with what they did. They are adults and they are capable of making their own decisions. If you want to take a more conventional/safety oriented approach to chasing, that's fine, but I don't think you should criticize other people for how they choose to chase. It is not like they had to be rescued. I have met Jim and I can assure you he knows what he is doing.

 

[David Young]

It seems to me that showing the footage on TV like that and emphasizing the fact that they deliberately went into the path of the storm as most people were going the other way is going to reinforce people's notions that there's really no need to be worried about storms like this. People will see this and think, "Sure, we've been ordered to evacuate, but look, these guys did OK and even made some money in the process!" I don't think it's necessarily helpful, that's all.

 

[Edward Ballou]

Allusion #1: You're saying the ostrich would do better if it just stuck it's head in the hole?

Allusion #2: Someone has to stick their neck above the trenches in war to see what's going on.

You have to know what's going on - you have to know it's dangerous to stay. Yes, these guys stuck their necks out. They could have just turned down the money. You could take it as "hazard pay". These are professionals and if the media can convince anyone, they surely can convince, using this photage, that people should have evacuated.

If you want to see another chaser's account, go read Chris Collura's. You can ask him if it's all about the thrill and the money and convincing people it's ok to stay. He saw bodies attesting to that fact that it is life-threatening to stay.

 

[Jay Cazel]

Originally posted by Rob_Davis+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rob_Davis)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-Edward Ballou

I can't speak for them, but if I was down there to shoot film, I know that my purpose would be to inform people on why hurricanes or any other severe weather is not to be taken lightly.

I think that's a great idea. Too bad these guys didn't take the opportunity to do so. All they did was show a few million people, "Hey! You don't have to evacuate! Look at us -- we did it and now we're on tv!!"

I'm seriously starting to think that media relations should be required for storm chaser certification.

And those chasing without certification should be treated as looters.[/b]

I know Jim Reed and that is what they did. He and Mike just showed people WHY to get out. This is NOT Jims first Hurricane and I guess not his last. Jim is contracted out by news organtions to do this stuff, I don't see anyone else form the big media out shooting video of this hurricane when it came on shore, except STORMCHASERS.

 

[HAltschule]

I have met Jim and I can assure you he knows what he is doing.

I don't know these guys, and they may be decent chasers (and I'm sure nice guys), but after seeing the video, and knowing beforehand that Katrina was a CAT 4 and 5, I seriously doubt they knew what they were doing. I consider myself to know what I am doing like many others here. I have the Meteorology background and degree, I am a Stormchaser and also a Volunteer Firefighter of 16 years. I have a lot of training in rescue, survival, and Meteorology....and I would NEVER have put myself in the path of that thing. 25-30 foot storm surges are not good and 145-175 MPH winds are not good either...mkay? Sure you can go up to the top floors of a building, but storm surge and pounding waves like that can easily detiriorate the foundation and lower floors leaving you with a serious collapse. It just seems obvious that you're asking for trouble by doing that. Now, a CAT 1 may be a different story.

 

[HAltschule]

Sorry for the additional post. But why haven't TV Stations or research grants/Researchers setup an array of still cameras in numerous locations with a feed/transmission to tape or remote location. This would gather all of the video without "threat to life and safety".

 

[Jay Cazel]

Originally posted by HAltschule

I have met Jim and I can assure you he knows what he is doing.

I don't know these guys, and they may be decent chasers (and I'm sure nice guys), but after seeing the video, and knowing beforehand that Katrina was a CAT 4 and 5, I seriously doubt they knew what they were doing.

That is right, you don't know these guys. Do you know how these guys opertate?? Do you know who there now casters are?? Do you have any idea the support staff they have? I can tell you know from knowing Jim is he had the BEST of everything and some of the best people in the business backing him and Mike up. Decent chasers????? They are some of the best!!!!

 

[David Young]

Originally posted by Jay Cazel
That is right, you don't know these guys. Do you know how these guys opertate?? Do you know who there now casters are?? Do you have any idea the support staff they have? I can tell you know from knowing Jim is he had the BEST of everything and some of the best people in the business backing him and Mike up. Decent chasers????? They are some of thebest!!!!

Do the millions of people who saw the Matt Lauer interview know these guys? Was there substantial mention of their extensive knowledge and experience, the technology they use, their supoprt staff, or the work involved in predicting and tracking a storm such as this? Does the average Joe watching the interview think, "Oh, these guys definitely know what they're doing. They've convinced me that hurricanes truly are dangerous and that I should make every effort to be adequately prepared in the event of storm like this, including the possibility of actually listening to the authorities and evacuating the area," or does the average Joe see two guys with a camera? What do you think?

 

[Jay Cazel]

Originally posted by David Young+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Young)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-Jay Cazel

That is right, you don't know these guys. Do you know how these guys opertate?? Do you know who there now casters are?? Do you have any idea the support staff they have? I can tell you know from knowing Jim is he had the BEST of everything and some of the best people in the business backing him and Mike up. Decent chasers????? They are some of thebest!!!!

Do the millions of people who saw the Matt Lauer interview know these guys? Was there substantial mention of their extensive knowledge and experience, the technology they use, their supoprt staff, or the work involved in predicting and tracking a storm such as this? Does the average Joe watching the interview think, "Oh, these guys definitely know what they're doing. They've convinced me that hurricanes truly are dangerous and that I should make every effort to be adequately prepared in the event of storm like this, including the possibility of actually listening to the authorities and evacuating the area," or does the average Joe see two guys with a camera? What do you think?[/b]

I do not expect millions of people that watched that to know anything about stormchasing or hurriance chasing or anything that goes along with it. But what I do expect is people WHO chase to give the benifit of the dougt to guys who have been through a number of hurricanes. Granted the best planning can go wrong and they COULD have gotten into trouble, but they did not and so far have some of the BEST footage on land fall. I am not saying it was right, but I am not saying it was wrong.

 

[HAltschule]

Apparently the Nowcasters didn't let them know that there were 145-175mph winds and a deadly 25-30 foot storm surge about strike. Either that or they didn't think such a record breaking storm surge would have an impact on them. In my opinion, the best chasers knew they should not be anywhere near there. Case and point.

 

[Robert Dewey]

Originally posted by Michael Gribble
I don't see anything wrong with what they did. They are adults and they are capable of making their own decisions. If you want to take a more conventional/safety oriented approach to chasing, that's fine, but I don't think you should criticize other people for how they choose to chase. It is not like they had to be rescued. I have met Jim and I can assure you he knows what he is doing.

Agreed 100%...