A church roof in Santa Fe, New Mexico. photo by Jonathan Schechter

           Severe weather spawned powerful tornadoes that ripped across the American landscape 
yesterday and last night leaving at least 12 dead and hundreds injured. The National
Weather Service  Storm Prediction Centers rated the devastating Harrisburg, Illinois
tornado as an EF-4 packing winds of 200 miles per hour. Before dawn today I watched a bit
of television news on the hard hit areas and interviews with survivors.
A theme occurred: "I prayed to God to be spared." 
 I thought back to a statue I saw on a church roof in Santa Fe a few years back as I
prepared to hike into the mountains. When a church installs a lightning rod on a religious
icon  the message to me is clear.  Pray if you want, but take responsibility and plan ahead.

Atmospheric conditions are forming now to make Friday, March 2nd a  day of even more 
violent weather and this time the danger zone is likely to include southern Michigan.
 If your  personal awareness plans is to simply to hope an outdoor siren warns you in time
then you better get enough life-insurance to keep your loved ones cared for when you are gone. 
The National Weather Service may get the warning out, but severe weather awareness and
a safety plan is a personal responsibility. 
What's your plan?
And calling 911 is not a plan, it's a sad testimony to your unpreparedness.