Storm Chaser Tim Samaras

[padi56]

Storm Chaser Tim Samaras

Video clips of Tim WJØG a fellow amateur radio operator and his son and another crewman on tornado chases for the Discovery TV channel. All three were killed during one of the major tornado's last month. There are several video clips they will automatically run. MC0YAD

Storm Chaser WJØG, Tim Samaras, son Paul, and crew member Carl Young were killed by the El Reno, Oklahoma tornado as reported by CNN. Tim was remembered in this Discovery channel show.



http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/oklahoma-tornado



A totally amazing film, and also a reminder why you should not hop in the car and go storm chasing unless you are a professional.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by padi56

Storm Chaser Tim Samaras

Video clips of Tim WJØG a fellow amateur radio operator and his son and another crewman on tornado chases for the Discovery TV channel. All three were killed during one of the major tornado's last month. There are several video clips they will automatically run. MC0YAD

Storm Chaser WJØG, Tim Samaras, son Paul, and crew member Carl Young were killed by the El Reno, Oklahoma tornado as reported by CNN. Tim was remembered in this Discovery channel show.



http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/oklahoma-tornado



A totally amazing film, and also a reminder why you should not hop in the car and go storm chasing unless you are a professional.

Amazing stuff Peter, you would have to think it was only a matter of time before a storm chaser got injured/killed by the object of their profession. That's no solace however to their friends and family.

RIP

[Lion]

Nature will never cease to amaze me with it's power for destruction(storms, hurricanes, tornados and such) as well as for it's beauty(flowers, mammals, Grand Canyon, tropical forests, deserts and such).....

[linesiders]

Two of the three were on the Discovery series Stormchasers ( I don't believe the son was on the show while it aired). They were depicted as very science focused and often chose to be safe over sorry, furthering real science to enhance storm prediction. They were professionals.

Deadly hobby or occupation, whichever side of the line you fall.

Thoughts & prayers out to their families.

[Watchdog]

Always admired their passion.

[mtrunner]

Such a bummer. I used to watch Storm Chasers on Discovery Channel and Tim and his team were one of the featured storm chasers. Pretty sad. Nature always wins.

[HL65]

Very sad...Thanks for sharing Peter! Cheers,

[HRV]

Thanks for sharing Peter

[JGX]

Genuinely tragic.

[chicfarmer1]

There is no such thing as a professional storm chaser. There are no accredited institutions giving out degrees. This is a human tragedy indeed, and compassion must prevail--but not the outcome of a true occupational hazard.

I am sure this won't be a popular post, but on the whole I do believe this an unnecessary and fundamentally stupid activity.

[linesiders]

Originally Posted by chicfarmer1

There is no such thing as a professional storm chaser. There are no accredited institutions giving out degrees. This is a human tragedy indeed, and compassion must prevail--but not the outcome of a true occupational hazard.

I am sure this won't be a popular post, but on the whole I do believe this an unnecessary and fundamentally stupid activity.

Mostly agree. 99% of these Storm Chasers are doing for the thrill. Their group was doing (a fair amount of) science (and thrill).

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by chicfarmer1

There is no such thing as a professional storm chaser. There are no accredited institutions giving out degrees. This is a human tragedy indeed, and compassion must prevail--but not the outcome of a true occupational hazard.

I am sure this won't be a popular post, but on the whole I do believe this an unnecessary and fundamentally stupid activity.

I disagree. Tim and his team were actually funded by grants to do their work. There may not be an accredited institution but many of these so called storm chasers are researchers and are doing research on tornados to better predict these storms and also to increase warning times ahead of storms which can save lives. Like any profession, many of these storm chasers are being paid to chase storms to gather scientific data. Some are even professors at major universities and very well known meterologists. And yes they were also doing it for the thrill as well but there are many jobs out there where the same can be said. Tons of professions or jobs where there is a high risk of injury or death.

Having said that there is also a large section of these so called storm chasers who are in it just for the thrill or to capture the most dramatic pictures. But there are some who I would call professional and who are doing it for academia.

[Lisa]

I agree, too, that storm chasing has become more and more risky as chasers compete for the most dramatic video... but could one make the argument that they are the best at determining just where the tornadoes were heading?

[chicfarmer1]

The number of storm chasers who are meteorologists and/or academics has got to be very, very few.

I think the argument against it as a "profession" are pretty obvious, in an age of sophisticated tech solutions that deliberately keep people out of harm's way. The argument for it still needs to be made, in my book.

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by chicfarmer1

The number of storm chasers who are meteorologists and/or academics has got to be very, very few.

I think the argument against it as a "profession" are pretty obvious, in an age of sophisticated tech solutions that deliberately keep people out of harm's way. The argument for it still needs to be made, in my book.

We can agree to disagree then. The individuals who are meteorologists and involved in academics and are being paid to storm chase are most certainly doing it as a profession. The very definition of profession is

a) a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation

or

b) a principal calling, vocation, or employment

Also, if you are referring to sophisticated tech solutions that keep people out of harms way in terms of tornados how do you think these tech solutions were developed? Many were developed based on the actual data obtained by these storm chasers. I have read that the direct information obtained by storm chasers have increased warning times ahead of tornados by up to two minutes. That translates into lives saved.

There are all kinds of "professions" out there that many people would not necessarily view as a typical profession. My best friend is a professional rock climber and mountaineer and is paid handsomely to climb rocks by several companies. Not your normal job but it is a profession. Some would even call it a dumb profession since many die doing it. My good friend Alex Lowe, another famous professional climber, died in an avalanche several years ago. Some professions are just more dangerous than others.

[chicfarmer1]

It's not just my opinion, of course. Meteorologists and other scientists write about this phenom as a problem and hazard.

Whatever scientific good is contributed is good, naturally. It's still not a trained profession in most cases. (When a meteorologist who also chases storms has a site called "stormgasm," you know that the risk taking is not about simple science.)

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by chicfarmer1

It's not just my opinion, of course. Meteorologists and other scientists write about this phenom as a problem and hazard.

Whatever scientific good is contributed is good, naturally. It's still not a trained profession in most cases. (When a meteorologist who also chases storms has a site called "stormgasm," you know that the risk taking is not about simple science.)

Understood but just because someone also enjoys what they do doesn't mean it isn't a profession. See my post above about my professional rock climbing friends. They get paid to do what they absolutely love. Their job is a hobby to most.

[GradyPhilpott]

Abraham Flexner:

But, after all, what matters most is professional spirit. All activities may be prosecuted in the genuine professional spirit. In so far as accepted professions are prosecuted at a mercenary or selfish level, law and medicine are ethically no better than trades. In so far as trades are honestly carried on, they tend to rise toward the professional level.

[...]

In the long run, the first, main and indispensable criterion of a profession will be the possession of a professional spirit....

Source: Abraham Flexner, “Is Social Work a Profession?” (paper presented at the National Conference on Charities and Correction, 1915), 581, 584-588, 590.

http://pages.uoregon.edu/adoption/ar...exnerISWAP.htm

Samaras, regardless of his specific training or credentials, was first and foremost a trailblazer in his field.

He invented, designed and built much of the data collection apparati that he and his team used and he collaborated with members of the professional meteorological community.

It's obvious in the videos of his work that he found his work exciting, challenging, and gratifying and yes, even thrilling.

There's nothing wrong with that, because while the thrill and gratification might have been a great motivator, Samaras's work was best defined by the data which his team and his machines were able to collect and contribute to the scientific community.

It is in this sense that Samaras's was both a scientist and a professional.

[james1787]

There are plenty of professions out there that come with a risk to life, this profession happened to be one of them. There are far more riskier professions you could choose.

[Lion]

I watched the show last nite on the Discovery channel and it was very interesting. I do feel bad for those men who lost their lives to gather information to further research tornados and their unpredictable nature. Just as I feel bad for those citizens who lost their lives, homes, towns and businesses.....

But in this particular event did they(storm chasers) take unnecessary risks in the name of science and to further gather information on a major EF5 Category storm? I know Tim Samaras and his crew have/had developed new instruments to gather information on major storms in the past which has helped science in their predictions of storms producing tornados. I also know that life, by nature, is a risk and you can make a conscious choice to do very dangerous work for a vocation or you can limit your risk taking and play it safe(r). Also for those people who live in Moore, Oklahoma, I know this will raise people's ire, but they have made a choice to live in an area which is known for severe storms and tornados and chose to live there. Many did not have storm cellars which to me would be a must if you lived in "Tornado Alley". So there is no right answer but choices and I would chose to not live where in the Spring the chance of severe storms is a way of life.....

With that said, I also live in the Midwest(South suburbs of Chicago)where we can have severe storms and tornados...just not as prevalent as Oklahoma and Kansas. Two years ago the air raid storm warning sirens went off and we did have a tornado who's path came through exactly where I live. It was a much smaller tornado(probably an EF1)and tore off the top of a large tree in our neighbor's yard throwing it into our yard up against our dining room windows and jumped over our building. It tore out a few more trees and did damage to some of the roofs and fortunately dissipated in the woods three blocks East of us.....

[padi56]

Originally Posted by mtrunner

I disagree. Tim and his team were actually funded by grants to do their work. There may not be an accredited institution but many of these so called storm chasers are researchers and are doing research on tornados to better predict these storms and also to increase warning times ahead of storms which can save lives. Like any profession, many of these storm chasers are being paid to chase storms to gather scientific data. Some are even professors at major universities and very well known meterologists. And yes they were also doing it for the thrill as well but there are many jobs out there where the same can be said. Tons of professions or jobs where there is a high risk of injury or death.

Having said that there is also a large section of these so called storm chasers who are in it just for the thrill or to capture the most dramatic pictures. But there are some who I would call professional and who are doing it for academia.

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

Abraham Flexner:

But, after all, what matters most is professional spirit. All activities may be prosecuted in the genuine professional spirit. In so far as accepted professions are prosecuted at a mercenary or selfish level, law and medicine are ethically no better than trades. In so far as trades are honestly carried on, they tend to rise toward the professional level.

[...]

In the long run, the first, main and indispensable criterion of a profession will be the possession of a professional spirit....

Source: Abraham Flexner, “Is Social Work a Profession?” (paper presented at the National Conference on Charities and Correction, 1915), 581, 584-588, 590.

http://pages.uoregon.edu/adoption/ar...exnerISWAP.htm

Samaras, regardless of his specific training or credentials, was first and foremost a trailblazer in his field.

He invented, designed and built much of the data collection apparati that he and his team used and he collaborated with members of the professional meteorological community.

It's obvious in the videos of his work that he found his work exciting, challenging, and gratifying and yes, even thrilling.

There's nothing wrong with that, because while the thrill and gratification might have been a great motivator, Samaras's work was best defined by the data which his team and his machines were able to collect and contribute to the scientific community.

It is in this sense that Samaras's was both a scientist and a professional.

Have to agree 100% it don't have to be a trained profession to be classed as a profession.And all the information he obtained over the many years of study. And building quite complicated testing and gathering information equipment has most certainly given a real gain on the prediction of these types of storms. And I for one salute him for his chosen field of Storm prediction plus his contribution in the world of amateur radio.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by padi56

Have to agree 100% it don't have to be a trained profession to be classed as a profession.And all the information he obtained over the many years of study. And building quite complicated testing and gathering information equipment has most certainly given a real gain on the prediction of these types of storms. And I for one salute him for his chosen field of Storm prediction plus his contribution in the world of amateur radio.

The video mentioned he was an engineering genius and built many of the devices used by others now to track and measure tornado's.

Avocation or vocation you strive for excellence in either don't you? I imagine most passionate people who follow their calling and try to add something new based on their interests get looked at sideways by conventional thinkers. It's human nature, but history will bear-out if they are wackos or pioneers.

I'm not going to risk my life by chasing clouds, but I'm thankful for those that will and add to the prediction business and the warning timeline for these deadly storms. JMHO

[chicfarmer1]

Final comment for me, and that is that I do respect knowledge acquired through pursuit of a passion and dedicated to a greater good. But I also know and value the difference between it and, say, meteorology and hard sciences scholarship and training, and the standards of behavior that go with them.

For those who think we need guys in vans (and they are guys, almost always) driving to, and even into, tornadoes in this day and age of GPS, GIS, all manner of satellite and ground instruments, then that is a difference in perspective. It doesn't mark me as conventional on the issue, just highly skeptical.

[wantonebad]

chicfarmer1,
If I decide to drive through a thunderstorm rather than wait till it passes, is that because I have too much testosterone oozing from my pores?



Sorry I couldn't resist