I think I’m discovering part of the reason that I fell in love with radio. The storms in the last few days have been spectacular. Jim called me this morning checking on some passwords that he had forgot to some of the computer equipment. Seems that power was lost on that end of town. He woke me up around ten this morning, but the day started for him around six. Ouch. Anyhow, that gives you an idea of what’s been going on.
When the skies get dark, people turn to the radio. Yesterday, the skies exploded. Alerts were pouring in from the NWS. Tornadoes. Thunderstorms. Flooding. It was all coming down the EAS pipe. As soon as Jim and I heard it come over, we’d head into the control room where Dennis was in a mess of notes from everything, trying to alert the public in danger. It was a rush. Some one out there was depending on the information coming out of our station. It’s an interesting feeling.
Thunder is booming once again as I sit here. I can’t help but think about the time that my mom and I were huddled in the basement as my heart beat with pure fear, tornado siren blaring outside. It was just a downdraft, but the winds were batting the house like a ping pong ball. We held onto each other under a blanket, not sure what was going to happen. The sky went green that day, which is never good. The power was out as soon as it started and didn’t return for at least a day. No one was hurt, and the only damage were to the trees. Not just by straight snapping of branches and trunks, but by a twisting motion like a bottle cap.
When I hear that tone, the one that alerts you of impending doom on the horizon, there’s a chill quickly followed by a rush of adrenaline. I know what it’s like to be that person stuck in the basement with nothing else to depend on but a radio.