The National Weather Service has all kinds of tech, but when the worst weather blows in, eyes on the ground are still the best way for it to gather fast-breaking information to pass along to the public.
That’s why it started the SKYWARN Storm Spotter Program back in the 1970s. The St. Lucie County Division of Emergency Management is hosting classes for those who want to be part of protecting the community.
“This year we’re doing that class on July 19,” Gustavo Vilchez, emergency operations manager, said. “We have a basic SKYWARN and an advice SKYWARN (class).”
Both classes will be at the St. Lucie County Emergency Operations Center, 15305 W. Midway Road, Fort Pierce. The basic class will be 10 a.m. to noon; the advance class will be 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Graduates 18 and older will receive Storm Spotter identifications. Those younger may attend the class for educational purposes.
The National Weather Service says there are about 350,000 to 400,000 trained volunteers in the program nationwide. The training classes cover how storms develop and how people can identify their features. Of course, the classes also cover how to report dangerous conditions to the proper authorities to get warnings out to the public.
The concept of volunteer weather watchers goes back to World War II. That was primarily to help protect military bases with lots of ordinance from lightning storms. After the war the program diminished, but there were still some trained volunteer weather watchers helping to protect military bases.
But over the years following the war, people died in major storms. Tornadoes are especially hazardous, because of their unpredictability and suddenness. While hurricanes – which spawn tornadoes – have traditionally generated greater loss of life and property destruction in single events, the United States is the country with the greatest number of tornadoes – about 1,200 annually.
Most are relatively small. But, in 1925 the Tri-State Tornado cut a 219-mile swath through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana killing at least 695. That’s the worst single tornado in recorded American history.
In 1947 at least 181 died in a single tornado in Oklahoma. In 1953 three separate tornadoes killed at least 324. Another at least 80 died in Kansas in 1955. By then the former United States Weather Bureau realized the program to help protect military bases could, thanks to widening communications technology, be expanded to help protect cities and towns.
In 1959 the Weather Bureau did its first class for 225 volunteer weather spotters. It kept expanding and improving the program until the National Weather Service was created in 1970. It kept the training going with SKYWARN.
Vilchez said that’s not the only emergency training St. Lucie County does or hosts. When residents of Vitalia at Tradition requested it, the county, working with the City of Port St. Lucie, set up a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training class. “They said they really want to form a readiness group in the homeowners association,” Vilchez said.
That 20-hour, five-part class started before publication. The CERT volunteers learn basics for numerous small and large types of disasters, so they can assist first and disaster responders. “My goal is to provide a CERT class once a year,” Vilchez said.
He added that the 2020 training class will also be at the start of the North Atlantic hurricane season. That’s when people start thinking about natural disasters in Florida.
Although the 2019 CERT class is underway at press time, Vilchez said organizations and communities still have access to disaster training.
“We provide disaster-preparedness presentations on request,” he said. “It’s always more effective to do face-to-face training.”
Those wishing to get a preparedness presentation from the county’s emergency services can call Vilchez at 772-462-8107. He said now is the time people to get ready for major storms.
“We recommend that everybody do an emergency-preparedness plan,” Vilchez said.
He said emergency planners consider four aspects of widespread disasters, and that list is helpful to families to guide their planning: preparedness; response; recovery; and mitigation.
Vilchez said planning begins with knowing where one plans to hunker down during a disaster such as a hurricane. “Your house is one place, of course,” he said.
Some may not want to do that for medical or emotional reasons.
“If someone depends on electricity for their health needs, they should look at our special needs shelters,” said Vilchez.
The Florida Department of Health at St. Lucie County and the county operate a special-needs emergency shelter at the Havert L. Fenn Center, 2000 Virginia Ave., Fort Pierce. “Now is the time to register for those services,” Vilchez added.
More about the Special Needs Program is available by calling 772-462-8100.
More about disaster preparedness is available at the county’s website: www.stlucieco.gov. To register for the SKYWARN classes, visit www.eventbrite.com.
