This from the National Weather Service this morning on Hurricane Ike:
Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single-family one- or two-story homes may face certain death.
I just don't think panic-inducing rhetoric like that is helpful. I don't think anyone is disputing that Ike is a serious storm. Just give the people the facts as you know them and update them regularly with any changes.
I have no words for today's QOTD.
Quote of the Day
In a disaster such as an earthquake or terrorist attack, nearly two-thirds of U.S. parents would disregard orders to evacuate and would rush to pick up their kids from school, according to a new survey.
Karen Matthews, Associated Press
Blog of the day here.
Quote from said blog: "It's amazing how quiet everything is already. The highways and roads are clean, the stores and restaurants are closed. Everyone is home and settled in for the storm."
That NWS warning in Galveston made the news up here in Baltimore, too. My guess is the NWS is between a rock and a hard place on announcements. If they just report the facts without sounding hysterical, people will complain that they weren't warned about the danger strongly enough. People will die, etc. Then there will be lawsuits and recriminations because people won't take personal responsibility for their decision to ride out the hurricane. Err on the side of scaring people to death so they vamoose, then you risk people not taking you seriously the next time if you are wrong about the severity of this one. I'm glad I don't have to write them.
K-
They run the risk of doing both, Kem, because their credibility is near zero.
Hear, hear! I was so annoyed with even our LOCAL news, spreading fear far & wide. I was amazed how many people were coming into the library I work at, absolutely terrified that Ike was going to make a sudden, sharp right & hit their house directly. I was sad for them, that they'd bought into the fear hype of the whole thing.
As you know, around here it's just been kind of windy & cloudy with the occassional rain. For this they terrified the populace (at least here on the northshore!)