What can you learn from the movie #13Minutes? #Skywarn #NatlPrep

 The Holidays were good watching some television and movies.  One, with mixed reviews, was 13 Minutes. 

The title matches the fact that the average lead time for a tornado warning is 13 minutes.  That fact keeps improving thanks to better technology on the front end and every citizen engaged with the Whole Community.

First, the movie is fiction but just like Twister,  it can't be all bad.  The movie was filmed in Oklahoma.

Second, it has a cheesy story line and the technical aspects of the film are lacking in some areas but ...

You can learn from the movie.

    1. There were plenty of opportunities to realize the day was going to be a bad day.  The emergency manager's briefing was one.  The beauty shop scene when the customer tells the stylist "tor watch" after getting a text message.

    2.  Things went right, seemingly by accident.  People knew to take shelter.  Unfortunately, some took shelter in inappropriate places.

Every year, the National Weather Service, Federal, State, and local emergency management programs inform the public of weather hazards.  Even Skywarn folks are involved in that effort.

Why?  Because new people arrive in the community.  People move because of jobs, marriage, lifestyle changes, etc.  

Language difficulty was made very apparent in the movie.  How will YOU tell someone from Sweden that it's going to be a bad day?  Talar du Svenska? Do you know American Sign Language?

Have a plan messaging was repeated during the movie.  Plan, prepare, practice ... and don't wait for the warning to start.

Messaging was very noticeable.  However, the messages must be repeated because someone every day stressors cause the phone to turn off, or the conversation to overcome the text message, etc.

Everyone has stressors.  What will we eat for lunch is minor compared to "The Beast".  Life happens, even to NWS employees, media folks, emergency managers, and Skywarn volunteers.  Take care of yourself before you can take care of others.

The movie showed the competing messages very often and because the warning is sent over many channels often, it still gets lost in the noise.  

There are some that think the movie was a waste of time.  For information and the learn from the mistakes of others lessons, it's worth your time.