Most things in the TV business are less important in person than they appear to be "on-air." TV studios always look smaller in person, and sometimes the personalities do as well.
This extends to meteorologists, too. They give us 3 minutes to talk about a forecast, that will be right in some ways, wrong in others, and in either case, no harm/no foul.
The obvious exception is severe weather coverage, where every second counts, and mistakes can cost lives. We've now reached the 6-month anniversary of the April tornadoes that devastated this region, and in that memory, we at WTVA have partnered with a group called WeatherCall® to ensure that everyone has access to accurate, personalized severe weather information.
This comes down to a fundamental question: How do you find out a dangerous storm is approaching, and you need to take cover?
Seriously, ask yourself that question.Research shows that most folks fall into a couple of categories:
1) Tornado Sirens go off and they turn on the TV
2) Weather Radios go off and they turn on the TV
3) A storm gets really loud and they turn on the TV
The second part about turning on the TV is flattering, but sometimes, especially at night, that might take away valuable seconds that you need to protect your family.
This is where WeatherCall® removes the guess-work and can become a lifesaver. When you sign up, you put in your specific address and up to 3 phone numbers. WeatherCall® then geo-codes that information into your specific latitude/longitude coordinates. When your specific location is in the path of the most dangerous part of a thunderstorm or a tornado, you get a phone call with specific instructions on what to do and where to go.
Because WeatherCall® is location-specific, it reduces the number of false-alarms dramatically. Example: How many times do your the tornado sirens or a weather radios go off for a warning in a completely different part of the county that doesn't include you? Can you count the number of times that has happened and you have unnecessarily worked up yourself or your family?
WeatherCall® relies on storm-based warnings from the Weather Service, making it specific and fast. Frankly, unless I'm already on the air when a warning comes out, you will get your WeatherCall® before I could even think of relaying the information on the air. That's not to say that we don't get on-air fast and accurately in severe weather, but rather that WeatherCall®
is that good.Unlike text messages, weather alerts to smart phones, emails, Facebook, or other social media like Twitter, it's hard to ignore a phone call. And, if you happen to sleep through a call, WeatherCall® will call you back, up to 3 times.
So why do YOU need WeatherCall®? During truly life-threatening weather, you are living the "worst case scenario."
WeatherCall® wasn't available in this area during the April tornadoes, but it was available in North Alabama, and many folks had subscriptions. When the power went out, Internet went down, weather radio failed, and TV went offline, WeatherCall® saved literally hundreds of lives. WeatherCall® does cost $9.95 per year. That ends up being less than one bad lunch, or haircut, per year. You'd be amazed the excuses people give me when I tell them it costs money, and I could give you plenty of examples of how people (myself included) waste money on tiny little things. WeatherCall® is worth every penny, especially when you consider it's monitoring your location 24-hours a day for 365 days a year.
My family has WeatherCall®, I have WeatherCall®, and I would stake my reputation on it's life-saving abilities. Most of what happens on TV is for show, but WeatherCall® is the real deal. It's an accurate, reliable, personal tornado warning system that brings you peace of mind and could save your life.
To sign up for WTVA WeatherCall® go to
http://www.wtva.com/weathercall.
