Master of Disaster

That gave me chills.

No, I was adding some substance to the comment which was interpreted in a way other than what was intended.

Where in his quote does he state it wasn't?

I think we are talking about 2 different things. Thats a regional team.

No, your reading it right. Here is a list of the 28 approved teams: http://www.fema.gov/.../locations.shtm Perhaps a future TF they are building there. Baltimore has tried to develop MD-TF2 for years and its never worked, leaving us with the only TF in MD. LOCAL teams are not true USAR TFs and are not funded by the feds as one.

Doug, there is no possible way that was from a tornado. I am willing to bet cash you could shoot a rubber hose at a tree at 1000MPH and it still wouldn't imbed with feet sticking out the other side like that. Not doubting that the hose in the tree isnt for real, but I do doubt that a tornado did that.

He needs to work on his terminology a little. Oklahoma doesn't have a Task Force 1 and neither does Arkansas.

I agree, the tornado didn't do that. Kind of reminds me of that curb pic, which I doubted the first second I saw it. This kind of looks like a section of tree that was higher up and someone ran a hose across a limb to avoid it crossing a walkway. Then the hose grew into the tree. Who knows, but one thing is certain, and its that a tornado isnt going to pile drive a rubber garden hose into a tree leaving several feet out the other side. The fact that the tree hasnt been debarked should tell most of us that this is fake.

Couldn't agree more.

Certainly cant blame him for trying to change things for the better, but as an elected official, you MUST lead by example. And "common good" is not that.

Doug, would love to hear your story when you get a chance. Glad to see you guys are ok. How has FEMA been in your opinion?

http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/storms/joplin/ Use the slide bar at the bottom for before and after. UNBELIEVABLE!!!

That list made my stomach upset. Numerous instances of two family members and at least one instance "Howard" of three family members. Looking at the video you took, where the hell do you start? When there is no neighborhood left, where do you start to rebuild?

I saw a post today that they are doing the 5th and final sweep. Where the heck are these 100 missing people?

Moore, OK hands down in my opinion out of these three. If we are comparing F5s though Jarrell Texas was the mother of them all.

Good points, but use the words "fatalities expected" and you wont have a job after that. Ive learned this after 5 years of issuing public warnings, never relay that anything fatal is expected. Use the word "possible". Or "this storm has the potential to cause multiple fatalities". Might not seem like a big deal, but "expected" gives the impression you aren't going to do everything you can to help becaause its inevitable.

This conversation kind of reminds me of the Hurricane one that we have once a year or so. The "Why was there so much destruction" "Cause they build on a beach" discussion. Extreme events are going to kill people. I am not sure if there is anything that anyone could have done any differently and I am not sure we really need to change anything just because. If you have 20 minutes heads up that there is a tornado coming, I find any discussion of more warning or more time pretty absurd.

My first thought was that this might be a fake. Like someone placed the splinter of wood in there and set the damaged curb back on top of it. If you ever watch those videos of them testing siding with 2x4s, when do you ever see wood concrete impale with no spliters what so ever at the site of impact? Ehh, just my rambeling.

If thats not directly impacted, I would hate to see what directly impacted really was. My lord.

From the update the guy posted, it looked like he was in the middle of it. Perhaps I am not picking up on what or where he is.

From the "first person" video, why is there a distinct break in the wind? You hear a roar, you hear screaming and then there is silence which clearly makes the people in the video think that the tornado has passed prior to the real damage starting at 3:10s. Just curious if that was just a downdraft or perhaps a sat tornado.