Storm warnings for the deaf

Miss-Delectable

Miss-Delectable

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KSWO, Lawton, OK- Wichita Falls, TX: News, Weather, Sports. ABC, 24/7, Telemundo - Storm warnings for the deaf

Tornado sirens. Emergency tones on TV or radio. A phone call from a neighbor. All ways people can hear about impending disaster because of severe weather, unless of course you're deaf.

"About 80 percent of the deaf and hard of hearing population feel uncomfortable because they feel they don't get the proper notification in an emergency event," said Comanche County Public Information Officer Chris Killmer.

That's where OK-WARN steps in. OK-WARN is sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service--Norman Forecast Office. OK-WARN will send out a page to pagers, cell phones, even email when an emergency or weather event occurs in your area.

"One of the greatest losses of life because of a disaster is immediately following the disaster," said Red Cross Emergency Services Director Anne Thompson. "People make bad choices or don't make any choice at all."

Comanche County will host an informational meeting about OK-WARN on Monday April 30th beginning at 6pm at the Prairie Building at the Great Plains Coliseum. The County will also provide information on purchasing NOAA Weather Radios for the deaf or hard of hearing.

Volunteers who are Level 4 or Level 5 certified in American Sign Language are also needed to interpret the event for those who may need it. If you have any questions you can call Comanche County Emergency Management at (580) 355-1285.
 
I don't think we have a similar system in our state. I was concerned about that tonight. We were under tornado warnings tonight for several hours. It was the same storm that hit Atlanta yesterday. We were advised to turn to our emergency weather channel on the radio if our electricity went out. Well, radio weather announcements are no good for deaf people.
 
When I was living in the south there were a lot of tornados that would come and go - my friends and I networked, kind of like the tree system, where the hearing person would get the warning (lucky for us...he just happens to work in that field) and then sends the warning to our pagers...and then we sent the warnings to the next group, etc. Worked really well. We had a double system so that means there would be at least two people responsible for paging me and I had to be responsible for paging two people...that way if one person doesn't - then there's a back up.

Not foolproof...but better than nothing. One time there was a pretty bad storm with warnings - we deafies got the info before the hearing folks did at our workplace. lol
 
Many times I rely on Family and friends to warn me of the severe weather alert. and my computer has a weather alert.
 
deafbajagal said:
When I was living in the south there were a lot of tornados that would come and go - my friends and I networked, kind of like the tree system, where the hearing person would get the warning (lucky for us...he just happens to work in that field) and then sends the warning to our pagers...and then we sent the warnings to the next group, etc. Worked really well. We had a double system so that means there would be at least two people responsible for paging me and I had to be responsible for paging two people...that way if one person doesn't - then there's a back up.

Not foolproof...but better than nothing. One time there was a pretty bad storm with warnings - we deafies got the info before the hearing folks did at our workplace. lol
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Same here...although tornados are rare in MD and DC. However, in 2002, thanks to my deaf friend in PA who was watching the weather alerts on the computer, she saw that DC and MD were under a tornado warning and paged me to let me know. I was at a gas station in DC when the sky started looking weird and omnious. When I got the page from my friend, I told my friend who was riding with me that we needed to get home. We drove home and sure enough we found out on the news that the F-3 tornado was only 5 miles from us. GEEZ! That was scary!!!
 
thats why i subscribed to my hometown tv station alerts for when i'm on the go and they alerted me via my cellphone if there is a tornado coming and to take cover. It worked. But if i am home and online then they will let me know via aim which is so cool! also by emails too as well.

I always look at the weather news every day to check with weather anmd what it will be like. If they said we are in for a tornado outbreak then I will be sure to keep an eye that day and watch out for the tornado. If there is a tornado warning in my area then I let my family and friends know.
Like Feb 5 tornado here in my area I had to page my sister who was at work and didnt know that there was a tornado warning. It saved her. She was fixing to leave and run in the storm? No she stayed at work for 30 minutes then she went home. Lot of lives were saved that day but sadly 2 lost their lives and numerous injuries. :(

I am tornado freak. I know its dangerous but love to look at the sky for sign of tornado. Tornado is one of the Natural Phenomena. It is awesome and beautiful sight to see but they leave debris behind. :(
 
Freaky Cat said:
thats why i subscribed to my hometown tv station alerts for when i'm on the go and they alerted me via my cellphone if there is a tornado coming and to take cover. It worked. But if i am home and online then they will let me know via aim which is so cool! also by emails too as well.

I always look at the weather news every day to check with weather anmd what it will be like. If they said we are in for a tornado outbreak then I will be sure to keep an eye that day and watch out for the tornado. If there is a tornado warning in my area then I let my family and friends know.
Like Feb 5 tornado here in my area I had to page my sister who was at work and didnt know that there was a tornado warning. It saved her. She was fixing to leave and run in the storm? No she stayed at work for 30 minutes then she went home. Lot of lives were saved that day but sadly 2 lost their lives and numerous injuries. :(

I am tornado freak. I know its dangerous but love to look at the sky for sign of tornado. Tornado is one of the Natural Phenomena. It is awesome and beautiful sight to see but they leave debris behind. :(
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Have u seen a F-5 tornado?
 
shel90 said:
Have u seen a F-5 tornado?
Click to expand...

No I never see one... but i do want to see it... I am crazy, i know.. LOL..i have seen on tv.. does tv count? LOL :giggle: last feb 5 i didnt see the tornado due to rolling hills but i saw the black wall cloud. It was ugly..

Its very rare for Arkansas to have F-5 tornado due to rolling hills.. Arkansas only had F-4 tornadoes.. so far... knocking on wood...
 
When the tornado hit Lake City a few weeks ago. My mother was in that one. The Warning came out AFTER the tornado hit. So they are still having a hard time giving warnings out to people in time. One person died in result of a tree falling on her home. the other died due to electrocuted when he was trying to hook up the generator.

Anyways technology still have to work on giving out enough advance warning. It is still hard for them to do. since Tornadoes can drop down in a flash.
 
I have email weather warning in my area. So now I gotta go back in and setup for my blackberry device.
 
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