I consider our mission to be public safety. Yes, we have the job of telling people that it’s going to be a nice, sunny day. But there are occasions when the weather turns dangerous, and we regularly educate and inform our viewing public about how to prepare for these events, and when to put those plans into motion.
What has your organization done to promote a Weather Ready Nation? (i.e. what did your WFO recognize your for?)
We had two major WRN initiatives in 2016. The first was our first annual TMP WeatherFest, in which we partnered with Plan!t Now and our local National Weather Service office to put on an event to engage and interest local school kids and the public in meteorology. The event, conducted at the Southfield Public Library, was an overwhelming success, with an estimated 1000 people attending! We broadcasted our weather segments live from the event all day long to further excite the public.
2016 was also the seventh year of our NOAA Weather Radio campaign. Every year, we partner with Midland Radio, our local National Weather Service office, and Meijer and ABC Warehouse stores at three events to encourage the public to purchase weather radios. We broadcast our weather segments live on location all day long at each of the three events, driving home the message that every home, school, major event venue, summer camp, office, and house of worship should have a weather radio, and that this could potentially be their only source of warning information if a tornado or severe storm approached. Since our campaign began in 2010, approximately 40,000 NOAA Weather Radios have been purchased in the metropolitan Detroit area.
In addition to these station initiatives, I personally also regularly educate my viewers both on-air, and online. My weather articles are hugely popular on the station’s website, and I frequently tweet safety messages. For example, every time there is a lightning fatality in the nation, I tweet about it, and tell people to respect all storms (not just the severe ones).
What does being an Ambassador mean to you?
Being a WRN Ambassador means that my station is considered a leader in informing the public about hazardous weather, and that it is at the forefront in educating them about how to protect themselves and their property when hazardous weather approaches. It’s particularly rewarding to be in a position to make this type of impact in people’s lives. The greatest compliment I ever received in my thirty-three year career was when somebody told me that my advice directly saved her life. Every WRN Ambassador should be so rewarded…
What are your goals for the next year concerning preparedness?
My goals are to continue the outstanding public outreach that my station is known for, and look for even more creative ways to engage the public and educate them. Broadcast meteorologists are in a unique position to convey this important information – we’ve earned society’s trust, and need to use our popularity and communication skills to drive the WRN message home.
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