How Could You NOT Get That Warning? Multi-Partner Outreach to Build a Weather-Ready Nation

In the annals of American history, the Palm Sunday tornado outbreak of 1965 represents one of the last times a significant population (the Mennonite/Amish community) was caught largely off-guard by a fast-moving disaster, and thus allowed little time to seek safety. Without radio or TV warnings, many of these families were surprised by tornadoes approaching at 60-70 MPH, and there was little time for meaningful protective action. For those who had no way to receive the warning, the storm was essentially "unwarned". Today cell phones, TV, WEA, apps, reverse 9-1-1 calls and outdoor sirens should give us the most robust warning system ever, but California's deadly Camp Fire showed that even in the 21st century, thousands of people did not receive adequate warnings because they relied on only one of these modalities. An energized partnership of broadcasters, NWS, emergency management, and the private sector can stop our slide down a slippery slope by educating people about the importance of having multiple, redundant methods of receiving warnings. A multiplicity of current and future systems, including HazCollect, will ensure people always receive their warnings, truly making America a Weather-Ready Nation.