TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
ALL NON-WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WV ARES BULLETIN NR 09.17 DATE: April 26, 2009
SUBJECT: SOME DON'T GET THE MEANING
There's one bulletin that should go out every year during the severe weather season that is about as important as any bulletin can be. The title of the bulletin is "WEATHER WATCH OR WARNING". A short time ago an emergency agency that's responsible for keeping other emergency agencies aware of pending weather conditions was passing on a condition that was wrong.
The main agency was told there was a Flash Flood "WATCH" for a certain county until 8:00 pm. The main agency then told other emergency agencies there was a Flash Flood "WARNING" until 8:00 pm. Just making a minor word change from "WATCH" to "WARNING" made a lot of people nervous.
Another dispatcher who was on duty, and had been in emergency communications long enough to recognize a possible mistake in the word "WARNING", questioned the announcement. A later another announcement was sent out to correct the mistake.
Just remember, if you're being told there's a "WARNING" being issued, and you feel that it could be a mistake, question the announcement. There are times when the word "WARNING" fits the scenario, and questioning an announcement isn't necessary. (Information from Aaron, N8NVQ)
Ken Harris WA8LLM
Wood County WV
WV ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
WV ARES District 3 Emergency Coordinator