Dawn Reader

Dawn Reader
from Open Door Coffee Co.; Hudson, OH; Oct. 26, 2016

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Sirens and Storms



We live right across the street from the old Hudson Town Hall. On the roof is the town's storm siren.  In the picture you can see it on the roof. We generally don't have much trouble hearing it: When it's operating, you see, we can't hear another thing until it runs out of steam or terror or whatever animates it.

Last evening--with many tornado warnings in the area--it went off. And Joyce and I padded down to the basement, where the spiders and other residents were alarmed to see us. This is their home, not ours! We waited awhile (the siren ceased), then headed back upstairs, figuring it was better to be whirled off with Dorothy and Toto than to be in that dank basement another moment

I grew up in Oklahoma (1944-1952, 1953-1956) and the Texas Panhandle (1952-53)--Tornado Alley--where I spent a lot of springtime worrying about tornadoes. We had drills at school, which were remarkably similar to the atomic bomb drills (crouch under your desk). Even at age 8 I knew these drills were pointless, but at least we were doing something, which, generally, is better than nothing.

I never saw a tornado in Tornado Alley. I did see some pretty terrifying skies, which would boil red and green (hard to believe, but true). And tornadoes were always smacking folks in communities around us. But somehow we escaped.

In 1985, when I was teaching at Harmon Middle School in Aurora, Ohio, we were setting up for our annual 8th Grade Farewell-to-Harmon Show, about an hour before the 7:30 curtain. I heard noise, went to the back door, looked up and saw a fearsome cloud passing over the school. Shortly afterwards a large tornado (F5) touched down in nearby Newton Falls and did terrific damage--though no one was killed. And our show went on.

Newton Falls High School
after the May 31, 1985, tornado


(YouTube Video about Newton Falls tornado.)

That was as close as I've ever come ...

Last night (Monday) I watched the TV news and was struck by the coverage--four solid hours on the Cleveland stations. Lots of Doppler radar and weather people improvising. No twisters had actually touched down; no damage was reported (at least during the time I watched)--just lots of wind and rain and lightning. And sirens. But the stations kept telling people in various communities to go to their basements or "safe places"--and to wear bicycle helmets, if possible.

I know that the chances of a twister dancing down your specific street are slight--virtually nil, really. Still, when that siren goes off--right across the street!--and the sky is too dark to see much? Well, it's time to go visit the spiders, clutch your loved ones, and, later, to thank your lucky stars.

3 comments:

  1. Thought I would point out that the siren is not the little thing sticking up in the front, it's actually quite large, as seen in the pictures below:

    http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM7QG0_Siren_Hudson_Town_Hall_Hudson_Ohio

    That's a huge siren...it's a model 3T22 made by Federal Signal Corporation.

    ReplyDelete
  2. VIRUS REMOVAL

    Is Your Computer Sluggish or Plagued With a Virus? – If So you Need Online Tech Repairs
    As a leader in online computer repair, Online Tech Repairs Inc has the experience to deliver professional system optimization and virus removal.Headquartered in Great Neck, New York our certified technicians have been providing online computer repair and virus removal for customers around the world since 2004.
    Our three step system is easy to use; and provides you a safe, unobtrusive, and cost effective alternative to your computer service needs. By using state-of-the-art technology our computer experts can diagnose, and repair your computer system through the internet, no matter where you are.
    Our technician will guide you through the installation of Online Tech Repair Inc secure software. This software allows your dedicated computer expert to see and operate your computer just as if he was in the room with you. That means you don't have to unplug everything and bring it to our shop, or have a stranger tramping through your home.
    From our remote location the Online Tech Repairs.com expert can handle any computer issue you want addressed, like:
    • - System Optimization
    • - How it works Software Installations or Upgrades
    • - How it works Virus Removal
    • - How it works Home Network Set-ups
    Just to name a few.
    If you are unsure of what the problem may be, that is okay. We can run a complete diagnostic on your system and fix the problems we encounter. When we are done our software is removed; leaving you with a safe, secure and properly functioning system. The whole process usually takes less than an hour. You probably couldn't even get your computer to your local repair shop that fast!
    Call us now for a FREE COMPUTER DIAGONISTIC using DISCOUNT CODE (otr214427@gmail.com) on +1-914-613-3786 or chat with us on www.onlinetechrepairs.com.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1 Problem: HP Printer not connecting to my laptop.

    I had an issue while connecting my 2 year old HP printer to my brother's laptop that I had borrowed for starting my own business. I used a quick google search to fix the problem but that did not help me.
    I then decided to get professional help to solve my problem. After having received many quotations from various companies, i decided to go ahead with Online Tech Repair (www.onlinetechrepairs.com).
    Reasons I chose them over the others:
    1) They were extremely friendly and patient with me during my initial discussions and responded promptly to my request.
    2) Their prices were extremely reasonable.
    3) They were ready and willing to walk me through the entire process step by step and were on call with me till i got it fixed.
    How did they do it
    1) They first asked me to state my problem clearly and asked me a few questions. This was done to detect any physical connectivity issues with the printer.
    2) After having answered this, they confirmed that the printer and the laptop were functioning correctly.
    3) They then, asked me if they could access my laptop remotely to troubleshoot the problem and fix it. I agreed.
    4) One of the tech support executives accessed my laptop and started troubleshooting.
    5) I sat back and watched as the tech support executive was navigating my laptop to spot the issue. The issue was fixed.
    6) I was told that it was due to an older version of the driver that had been installed.

    My Experience
    I loved the entire friendly conversation that took place with them. They understood my needs clearly and acted upon the solution immediately. Being a technical noob, i sometimes find it difficult to communicate with tech support teams. It was a very different experience with the guys at Online Tech Repairs. You can check out their website www.onlinetechrepairs.com or call them on 1-914-613-3786.
    Would definitely recommend this service to anyone who needs help fixing their computers.
    Thanks a ton guys. Great Job....!!


    ReplyDelete