Risking all to warn others

By betting their own lives, storm trackers helped others stay informed of hot spots.

Didi Tang and Amos Bridges

News-Leader

As others took shelter from the devastating storms Monday night, several hundred Ozarkers headed in the opposite direction.
In the driving rain, wind and lightning, volunteer weather spotters put their own safety on the line to provide firsthand information to meteorologists and emergency managers tracking the storms.

Spotters and amateur radio operators form an integral part of emergency response, those officials said, although the volunteer efforts often take place out of the public eye.

"They provide a tremendous service to the National Weather Services and the community because they are the eyes — they are telling us what's actually happening," said Gerry Claycomb, a NWS meteorologist in Springfield.

At emergency management offices in Springfield and surrounding counties, spotter reports helped officials determine when to activate warning sirens and where to direct response teams.

"We've got a radar in front of us, but the radar is just a radar," said Ryan Nicholls, director of the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management. "We need some eyes on the scene ...

"These guys go out any time of the day or night, leave their families and go out there to provide a public service."

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