The scene: me at home in the living room watching the newest episode of TNT’s series: The Closer. The program is interrupted by the Emergency Alert System. “The National Weather Service has announced a tornado WARNING for the following counties… “and they proceeded to list my county and a window of about twenty minutes before the actual circling mass of wind was to hit a harbor less than two miles from my house.
My reaction shocks and frightens me.
1. I am pissed that the warning interrupted the show for so long.
2. I call my BFF Deb who has just seen it also, and she says: “it’s not coming here, how would it travel unless it took the Edens?” ( Expressway 94) We laugh hysterically. Though I think to myself: “It (the tornado) will use the buildings and trees it sucks up from the ground for acceleration.”
3. I continue watching the teley.
The second alert breaks into the show. It instructs us that we should now move to a place of safety. The conditions are “potentially life threatening. Move to lower levels in your home, vacate vehicles and motor homes. these structures are not safe. And STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.”
I immediately go to the window (as does all of my neighbors – I can see them all – silhouettes all looking around)
“Hmph! The trees aren’t even moving” I say to myself as I sit down on the couch to resume watching. I ignore the little voice in my head that says:
FOOL! Go to safety! Go to the basement! You saw “Twister” a half dozen times!”
I go back to the couch. I call my BFF Babs after the third EAS interuption.
“How does it look over your way!”
She says: “it’s crazy, I can’t even see downtown. The wind is blowing; it’s raining.” I assume she sees this from her huge fourteen foot floor to ceiling windows. She has such a wonderful view of downtown.
Then I hear the sirens. These weren’t car alarms or emergency vehicle sirens but those “end of the world, London during WWII air raid sirens!”
“Hmmm” I muse to myself, maybe I should move to safety. And then the wind picks up and those huge trees lining my street are shaking like a cheerleader’s pom poms.
“Hmmm, if one of those branches breaks loose and starts flying- I’m fucked!” “Maybe I should move that expensive lamp off the table in my bay window.” Tornado? Bah humbug!! It won’t happen.
“Nah… it won’t happen.” I return to the couch and “The Closer,” which is now breaking up into pixels, the sound is popping in & out.
The trees stop swirling back and forth. The rain continues and now lightening is striking all over the place. Just a big thunderstorm now.
Then thunder cracks so loud it sounds like somebody dropped the Statue of Liberty into a garbage can. A bolt of lightening cracks and I swear I see it bounce across my living room floor and my TV & entire av system pops off! I haul ass down my hall and run into the closet. “SHIT!!”
I sit there in the dark – with a shoe poking my ass – thinking: “God this place is a mess!” I hear the TV sound pop back on. I exit the closet picking up clothing off the floor, return to the couch, resume watching the teley.
I am curious about my behavior and reaction to the alarm. I ignore the EAS, disaster sirens and spoken directions to seek safe shelter. I call a bunch of my friends and not one of them sought shelter either. Am I crazy, foolhardy, or just inexperienced with extreme weather?
I wonder when does the alarm become real? When do you move? I was waiting for the loud horrendous wind sound that I love turning up my surround system to hear while watching films (like Twister) But I can’t help thinking instinctively that when I hear that sound, it’s probably too late… Does anyone run for shelter after hearing the EAS issue a warning? Tomorrow I will look for news reports of downed power lines, structural damage and fallen trees.
Am I being foolish and irresponsible? I am totally unprepared for a disaster. I better put that flashlight, batteries, and candles together in a good place. But will I know when to move my ass & take ’em with me?
