HomeMy WebLinkAboutTornado Spotters 1962 (?) TORNADO SPOTTERS
To prevent the people of Brazos County being caught by sur-
prise, should a tornado approach our area, the County Civil
Defense Office has devised a plan for spotting and the re-
porting of tornadoes. Many residents, throughout the County
will be asked to sorve as tornado spotters. Their participa-
tion in the plan will not interfere with their daily routine;
they will simply observe and report severe weather uoar their
homes and businesses to Civil Defense. Spotters will be 1.=4_
vided with information about tornadoes, reporting procedure,
and Civil Defense phone numbers.
When eye- witness reports of a tornado are received by Civil
Defense, the radar station will track and estimate the speed
of the cloud formation. Its path will be determined and
people in the danger zones will be warned through all avail-
able means of communication. Local radio and TV stations
will be in constant contact with Civil Defense and will re-
peat official warnings as long as the danger exists.
The implementation of the spotter plan greatly increases the
accuracy and reliability of weather alerts and warnings.
Radar is not 100% accurate in determining if a particular
cloud is a tornado. Many clouds may look suspicious on radar,
but weather men must depend upon eye - witness confirmations
of suspected cloud formations before a warning is justified.
Reliability of warnings will be increased due to the fact
that those reporting the tornadoes will be reliable people
who have learned from their instructions exactly what to
observe and how to desc:cibe what they saw and heard.
Already there are many who report tornadoes; The Texas
Department of Public Safety, City and County Police Depart-
ments, airplane pilots, and oti.ers. Howevor, in many places,
especially at night and in rural areas, only the residents
are there to know what the weather is doing. The local
spotters will not replace, but supplement the existing re-
porting agencies and provide a wider, faster coverage. One
phone call from a spotter on a farm could save the lives of
his neighbors and many people in Bryan and College Station.
This plan is a part of an overall disaster preparedness pro -
gram being instituted by Brazos County, Bryan and College
Station in the name of Civil Defense. For further infor-
mation contact:
W. A. Neaves, Director Jake Cangelose, Director
Personnel & Training Brazos County CD
Brazos County CD TA -2 -0777 TA -3 -6421
TA -2 -0777 TA -3 -2865
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