WFO Midland/Odessa staff display Thunder Chili and weather safety bowls (Photo: WFO Midland/Odessa)
(Oct. 17, 2008) -- WFO Midland used a local chili cook-off as an opportunity to spread the word about weather safety. Armed with chili bowls covered with preparedness information, weather safety brochures and the staff's special "Thunder Chili", WFO employees spent time letting people know about how to stay safe when severe weather threatens West Texas.
While all attendees had the opportunity to sample a wide variety of different chili entries in small containers, WFO Midland provided bowls displaying tornado and lightning safety information. Other bowls emphasized the "Turn Around, Don't Drown®" flood safety message and the importance of developing a severe weather safety plan.
Midland Meteorologists Ryan Barnes and Doug Cain served up their award-winning Thunder Chili along with generous helpings of life-saving weather information. Approximately 200 people attended the chili cook-off.
Midland/Odessa Warning Coordination Meteorologist Pat Vesper noted, "It is during times like this, when the National Weather Service participates in local community events, that weather preparedness information sinks in and becomes its most effective."
