Storm chasers, law enforcement gather for ChaserCon
Sunday, February 10, 2019 6:13 PM EST
written by Lacey Williams
lwilliams@kake.com
Follow @LWilliamsKAKE
Storm chasers from across the region are preparing for severe weather season. Although the rain, hail, and possible tornadoes are still weeks away, the chasers are already working to keep people safe.
Storm Chaser Beth Bowdoin says weather patterns are constantly changing. "Everything is new," said Bowdoin, "You're always learning something different."
Hundreds of chasers gathered in Wichita over the weekend to discuss forecasts, first aid in an emergency, and safety. The convention consisted of several guest speakers and panels.
"It's all about getting to know each other, networking, and being able to pinpoint what else we need to do to help the community out," said KAKE First Alert Storm Tracker Bryce Kintigh.
A law enforcement panel was presented. Members of Kansas Highway Patrol, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office, and Butler County Emergency Management were present. A representative from Oklahoma Highway Patrol was also on the panel to discuss similarities in how Oklahoma law enforcement handles severe weather.
Looking forward to the safety panel discussion with Kansas and Oklahoma State Police Officers! Discussing how storm chasers, police officers and emergency managers can better work together and most importantly, increase safety when severe weather strikes! Next at @chasercon pic.twitter.com/IohpolQ9Bd
— Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) February 9, 2019
Roger Hill and his wife organized this year's event. Hill says the convention began 21 years ago as a small get-together in a home.
The convention grew. More than 350 people attended the convention this year. This is the first year it has been held in Wichita. It's usually held in Denver, but leaders learned that people who attend the convention wanted to move it around. Hill says he plans to bring the convention to Wichita again in the future.
Check out these photos from across KAKEland snapped by our viewers, staff and local officials. Do you have pictures to share with us? Email them to news@kake.com.
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