The great flu scare of '09

[cannon_fodder]

This is like TV weather stations going nuts when a rain cloud floats overhead. They bust into TV shows and have split screens warning about serious weather, crawlers . . .

I like to call that a "stormgasm." 

[custosnox]

Looks like as the swine flu scare breath's it's dieing breath, it manages to take it's first american citizen, and hopefully it's last.

HARLINGEN, Texas – This week should have been a joyous time for Judy Trunnell, a 33-year-old schoolteacher who had just given birth to a healthy baby girl.

But the friends and relatives whose cars lined the quiet street in front of her home in a quiet subdivision Tuesday instead were mourning her, the first American with swine flu to die.

"We're grieving now," said a woman with tear-streaked eyes who declined to give her name.

In Maryland, her cousin told WMAR-TV in Baltimore that Trunnell had died after spending two weeks in the hospital. She slipped into a coma, and her baby was delivered by Cesarean section, Mario Zamora said.

"She was just a beautiful person, warm at heart. She worked with disabled children as a teacher," Zamora said. "Those that knew her will always remember her."

Texas health officials stopped short of saying that swine flu caused Trunnell's death. State health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said the schoolteacher had "chronic underlying health conditions" but wouldn't give any more details.

She died early Tuesday after being hospitalized since April 19, said Leonel Lopez, Cameron County epidemiologist.

Trunnell's death came as life in the areas hardest hit by the outbreak began returning to normal. In Mexico, where the current strain is thought to have originated, stores, restaurants and factories were officially allowed to reopen Tuesday. And U.S. health officials withdrew their recommendation that schools with suspected swine flu cases shut down for two weeks.

The only other swine flu death in the U.S. was that of a Mexico City toddler who also had other health problems and had been visiting relatives in Brownsville, near Harlingen. He died last week at a Houston children's hospital.

There have been 29 other confirmed swine flu deaths, all in Mexico. Hundreds of cases of the disease have been confirmed in several countries, but mostly in Mexico and the U.S.

Trunnell was from Harlingen, a city of about 63,000 near the U.S.-Mexico border, and taught in the Mercedes Independent School District about 15 miles west of her hometown.

She was first seen by a physician April 14 and was hospitalized on the April 19. Zamora said she had complained of difficulty breathing and was put on life support.

Doctors knew she had a flu when she came in, but did not know what kind, Lopez said. The area is undergoing a Type A influenza epidemic right now, and swine flu is one variety of that, he said. She was confirmed to have swine flu shortly before she died, he said.

Dr. Joseph McCormick, regional dean of the University of Texas School of Public Health's Brownsville campus, said the woman was extremely ill when she was hospitalized.

Mercedes school district officials announced that it would close its schools for the rest of the week and reopen Monday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090506/ap_on_re_us/us_swine_flu_texas

[sauerkraut]

I like to call that a "stormgasm." 

That is a good name for it and we may be seeing that soon. They are saying in weather reports that on Thursday night severe storms may be moving in. Don't plan on watching any local TV Thursday, stick with cable shows... IMO I think that hype needs to be stopped, it'll cost lives when a real storm hits. Too Much crying "wolf".. I sent off e-mails to to TV stations about all that storm hype and they write back telling me it's their job to keep the boradcasting area informed of bad weather. I don't know why they have to break into shows when they can use crawlers instead. "Crying Wolf" all the time serves no one and is dangerous.

[Hoss]

That is a good name for it and we may be seeing that soon. They are saying in weather reports that on Thursday night severe storms may be moving in. Don't plan on watching any local TV Thursday, stick with cable shows... IMO I think that hype needs to be stopped, it'll cost lives when a real storm hits. Too Much crying "wolf".. I sent off e-mails to to TV stations about all that storm hype and they write back telling me it's their job to keep the boradcasting area informed of bad weather. I don't know why they have to break into shows when they can use crawlers instead. "Crying Wolf" all the time serves no one and is dangerous.

Tell that to the City of Fort Smith who tried to sue the NWS Tulsa when they were a little abrupt in their forecasting of a tornado that cost lives some years ago.  Then you understand the kneejerk.  I've seen the destruction these things do up-close.  If you're gonna whine and complain about having your television show interrupted, talk to the families of those who have lost loved ones, and then talk to those whose lives have been saved by just these broadcasts.  Then tell me what's more important.

wow.

[sauerkraut]

Tell that to the City of Fort Smith who tried to sue the NWS Tulsa when they were a little abrupt in their forecasting of a tornado that cost lives some years ago.  Then you understand the kneejerk.  I've seen the destruction these things do up-close.  If you're gonna whine and complain about having your television show interrupted, talk to the families of those who have lost loved ones, and then talk to those whose lives have been saved by just these broadcasts.  Then tell me what's more important.

wow.

Talk to the ones who ignore the weather because they think it's just some more of "Crying Wolf" and they get hit by a twister, or people who change the channel because of all the nutty weathermen going bonkers. It does them no good.

[Hoss]

Talk to the ones who ignore the weather because they think it's just some more of "Crying Wolf" and they get hit by a twister, or people who change the channel because of all the nutty weathermen going bonkers. It does them no good.

Did you even read my post?  Do you even live here?

wow.

[Conan71]

Hoss, your point is noted, but many of us have noticed (and discussed on here) in the last couple of years that the severe weather coverage has gotten over-done.  Sure, it's about public safety to a degree, but there have been "potential events" which were totally beaten into the ground.  I don't know if it's the need to exploit better radar and tracking equipment or the competition for ad revenue or all the above.  I don't always agree w/ Sauer, but people will start to ignore warnings if they are over-used and over-blown. 

[Hoss]

Hoss, your point is noted, but many of us have noticed (and discussed on here) in the last couple of years that the severe weather coverage has gotten over-done.  Sure, it's about public safety to a degree, but there have been "potential events" which were totally beaten into the ground.  I don't know if it's the need to exploit better radar and tracking equipment or the competition for ad revenue or all the above.  I don't always agree w/ Sauer, but people will start to ignore warnings if they are over-used and over-blown. 

I agree and see your point about some of the overdone; I think some stations are worse about it than others.  I've noticed that KJRH is a little less about interrupting and more about crawlers which is fine during heavy rain events, flooding and the like.  I think the worse about continuous coverage when not warranted used to be KTUL, now I think it's KOTV (no coincidence that the wx director from one went to the other).

When it's tornadoes, the broadcasters face a dilemma.  Do they interrupt and face the fury of those not affected simply because of the geography of their broadcast footprint, or do they simply do a crawler and HOPE that the affected people receive the news.  I think it's better for them to err on the side of caution, and would hope that people would think about that before going off half-cocked.  Me, I really don't worry too much because I'm one that has a NOAA weather radio.  Not all have the option or the means.  I was lucky enough to get my radio on clearance at Wallyworld for $10.  The same model now costs about $30.

Not saying I don't get PO'd myself, but I always temper that anger when a fav show of mine is interrupted by thinking to myself about those scenes I've witnessed, where a 2500 sq foot home is leveled to the slab by mother nature.  I think about that infant in the Moore tornado who was carried several hundred yards and deposited into a tree, alive.

I think the Kraut just gets under my skin for..well, you know the reason.  Appearing to be a resident when he isn't.  Commenting about current events in this city blind.

[cannon_fodder]

There is a difference between a stormgasm and reporting on actual dangerous weather.

If it might rain and it looks really good on radar, they are all over the news.   Super duper double doppler dapper dan damn that radar is cool flashing all over the screen, people driving to get in the rain, scrolling text.  Woo!

But thunderstorms in Oklahoma are not really news.  I encourage them to report it, and I am glad that they do so.  But the fact that they get so excited and go nuts over almost every storm and the "potential" for trouble is often worth mocking.  OOooh baby, here comes a storm!

Now, if there is a tornado watch, a severe storm warning, or a tornado warning then report it as deemed fit.  If there is a storm coming that will likely produce weather that will be dangerous to people unless precautions are taken, then hit the button and go nuts.  If some wind and lots of rain are coming, just calm down and keep it in your [TV studio].  No stormgasm needed.

On a bit of a side note, how many people are "saved" each year by reporting of a thunderstorm coming?  I'm guessing just about none.  Tornado warnings, probably yes (and again, I encourage going nuts when danger is imminent).  But warning about thunderstorms in the spring in Oklahoma is a bit like warning about trucks backing up at 5pmh going "beep beep beep" behind Wal-Mart.  People are (should be) aware of them and in most instances can see any danger coming.  If you're watching TV, presumably you are already inside... which is the course of action to be taken when a thunderstorm approaches anyway.

But I just really like the word Stormgasm.

[patric]

The trend now is to use commercial time to broadcast information like watches, and only break into programming when there is a warning issued by the NWS or another government agency (think wildfires or toxic gas leaks).
That, however, includes the entire area that the station covers.

The competition between weather departments is just a by-product of the FCC requiring the stations to provide that information in order to keep their licenses.

[sauerkraut]

Did you even read my post?  Do you even live here?

wow.

Yes I read it, but it's the same crap all over. Even in winter they go nuts. Last year the weathermen went nuts over a snow-storm. They were saying their super-dupper dopler said this front will hit and moisture from the gulf will move in and we'll get 2 feet of snow and if this happens we'll get 3 feet of snow. They had the city in a panic, people ran to stores to stock up... Come morn. we had a dusting of 2" of snow. The "crying wolf" is dangerous people tune out, I do, and I know other people who do. The weatherman should not bust into a TV show over a thunderstorm or rain storm, there is no precautions to do for those storms anyhow. They need to only bust in when there is a tornado threat. It has got way out of line, and the "crying wolf" will get people killed and it happens in many states & cities not just Oklahoma. I guess the weathermen have all those new fancy toys and like to show them off.