A tribute to some unsung heroes

A week ago, a nightmarish December storm system raked across the region just to our south and east. We’ve all seen the videos and photographs, and we’ve heard the stories of those who made it, and those who didn’t.

Our homes, workplaces and, most importantly, our families, were spared, but a small change in the initial track of that storm could have proven disastrous for Poplar Bluff and surrounding communities.

Spread across Butler County at the time was a small group of unsung heroes, whose only mission has been, and continues to be, to protect the citizens in such weather events.

The Poplar Bluff Severe Weather Response Team is an all-volunteer group of trained weather spotters with the ultimate goal of providing advance notice of impending dangerous weather.

These guys leave their families at home and put their lives at risk to make sure others are warned. They use their own vehicles, which sometimes sustain hail and other damage. They provide their own gasoline. And yes, they pay for their own radios to stay in constant contact with dispatchers and local law enforcement.

The next time your weather radio alerts you to an impending storm, or when you see a warning on television, you can bet the initial report came from a volunteer weather spotter. They are the first line of defense in such a situation, notifying local authorities and the National Weather Service, which then issues the warning.

Formed more than 10 years ago, according to director Craig Meador, the PBSWRT consists of about a dozen regular members.

“When the chips are down and things get bad,” Meador said, “there are another seven or eight who step up.”

That’s dedication in its finest form.

Paul Davis is assistant editor at the Daily American Republic and can be reached at pdavis.dar@gmail.com.