When the Weather Turns Bad

Millions have been impacted by the winter storm that moved across the Mountains, Midwest, Southeast and Northeast this past weekend. The large amounts of snowfall, ice, and single digit temperatures with sub-zero windchill continues to have a strong presence.

Ice brings down power lines, trees, interrupts travel, slows or stops mail delivery, and closes businesses and schools.

The usual run on groceries, stockpiling necessities, filling auto gas tanks, and checking in-home heating systems are the norm for many. Although this storm has impacted many whose communities are not equipped for severe winter weather. We’re hearing of cities and towns that have already depleted their salt supply for the winter. There are individuals who have suffered storm related health incidents, experienced auto accidents, fires originating because of space heaters and faulty furnaces, and slips & falls.

When a storm of the magnitude of this one hits, many don’t stop to think about what happens when there is no WiFi, no cable, no electricity. Cell service is down. Phones are out. That’s when they start looking for an old fashioned portable battery powered radio. This is when radio has to step in and provide advance warnings across all platforms, warning that preparation should take place to be prepared for a powerless world, and that communication will be limited.

There will be essential workers who must get to work. Many who will have camped out before the storm began. Those that are going out will want to know the road conditions, closures, and will certainly want to know the wind chill, or as it is sometimes referred to the real feel temperature. These people are among those who depend on radio when the weather turns bad.

BEFORE

Help your audience plan for the impending storm. Plan for ways to get home if the storm will hit while at work or elsewhere. Encourage parents to think about what steps they would take if schools closed early and they have to pick up children or get home to be there for them. Many talent work remotely, a change we saw in work locations starting with the pandemic, and that has shown us that we can deliver information and entertainment from somewhere other than a studio that’s in the center of a storm.

Let the audience know when the storm will arrive, what is expected meaning how much snow, ice or rain you’ll receive and what’s the expected impact of the winds. Very important that, if available, you share the meteorological prediction on how long the storm is expected to last. What should the audience expect in the way of wind chill, snow accumulation, and duration. Share safety tips regarding space heaters, avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning by starting a car in a closed garage, and health warnings regarding over exertion shoveling snow. Of course it’s important to have extra blankets and warm clothing on hand. Encourage people to keep blankets and a candle or two, with matches or a lighter, in their car. Just in case they get stranded somewhere while out and about. Dress as if you may have to walk a mile or two should your car become stranded.

Be in contact with the local power company to be able to provide updates on repairs and progress in restoring power. Same for water resources. If gasoline becomes scarce, alert the listener where they can find fuel. Same for groceries. Share where shelters are located that have power and running water available for residents who need help. Don’t forget about the unhoused. Being a good citizen includes checking on and helping those who may not have anyone else to look out for them. Radio should be a part of your community as the audience looks for information and comfort.

Contact the local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter in your community, and ask for their preparedness plan. Provide the audience with information to have disaster supplies on hand. It may seem obvious, but it is not something most people think about. In addition to providing such information on-air, post to your website and populate on your app. Needed items:

• Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries

• Flashlight and extra batteries

• First aid kit and essential medicines

• Emergency food and water

• Nonelectric can opener

Encourage your audience to make arrangements for pets. Be aware that if you had to evacuate versus being shut in, pets may not be allowed into emergency shelters for health and space reasons. Contact your local humane society for information on local animal shelters. Be conscious of frostbite, which affects our furry family, as well as humans.

While my focus is on serving the community… we are also a for profit business. When it comes to supplies, this is where advertisers can get involved, as there will be demand for whatever they sell. All of those items mentioned above as essentials will need to be purchased. Not only do your advertisers have an opportunity to be available to the residents within your market, but they can remind them of things they may not have thought of as needing for riding out the storm (toilet paper and tissues, games and books/magazines, etc. that will help pass the time) and did I mention extra batteries?

DURING

Make sure that all family members know how to respond.Teach family members how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water. Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1, police, or fire department and promote on-air, within your cluster of stations, that you will simulcast emergency information on all of your owned radio stations for the listening area.

Develop an emergency communication plan. In case family members are separated from one another during a disaster (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for getting people back together.

School and business closing are something that radio stations used to announce on the morning of every “snow day.” That’s something that’s posted on station websites and apps today. Many schools and businesses E-mail the parents or students or the employees who work for a company. What about when the power is out. No E-mail in that case. Bring back cancellations if widespread outages occur.

AFTER

Power restoration can take a while. Be prepared to update the audience on what’s being done. Provide airtime to the local power and gas authorities to update the audience and let them know the progress and process to restore power and gas. There’s nothing worse than sitting in the dark and not know when you’ll see light again.

If there’s a need for it, where can individuals make donations to help those in need. Where and how do you make insurance claims. Those are the questions that your listeners will want answered after any sever storm and they’ll be looking to you and the internet for answers. Post the information online and direct the audience to your website and app.

DEPEND ON

The audience depends on many sources for information. Especially true in times of weather related and natural disasters. Radio is one of the most dependable information delivery systems available to the audience. As a federally licensed entity it is our responsibility to serve the community. You should be prepared to do so. It may mean that you will need to share human resources with sister stations to have live talent presenting real time information. It’s quite possible that your station isn’t “weatherproofed” and you’re without a generator to stay on the air. This is when radio has the opportunity to shine. Take advantage of it by meeting the audiences expectations. Serve the community when the weather turns bad… and other times, too.