The cop should've pulled that tornado over and charged it with reckless endangerment. Let it sit in prison for awhile so it can think about what it did.
OFFICER THE LORD JESUS, BLESSED YOU WITH A CALM SPIRIT, I'M PRAYING FOR YOU OFFICER, FOR KEEPING US SAFE, MAY THE LORD JESUS SEND YOU MINISTERING ANGELS. MISSIONARY MARIA REYES. UPLAND CALIFORNIA
@@ariefaditya6765 It does not take long. Doppler radar takes about 6 minutes to do a full sweep. In that period of time a hundred houses could get wiped out.
Hardly ever get to see police dashcam footage of tornadoes. It really gives people a first hand perspective on what you were going through in that 10 minutes. People tend to forget, you guys get up close and personal, risking your lives to protect others. You are Heroic, you are Angels with Badges. May your sacrifices never be forgotten. I Thank You for your service. 🙏😇
@@horrorvault2183 How is that working for you when a stranger pops you for whatever reason? Don't call the police when you're in danger. For the love of God Don't. I advise you don't call any emergency services. You'd do everyone a favor by not calling the Police. You can hold your own. I ain't helping you either, good luck 😂😂😂
I've encounter three tornadoes (as in..seen them close in person) my entire life and was actually in one..taking shelter as it passed over. A experience you never forget
I worked at a Wendy's for 4 years and back in 2015 there were reports of funnel clouds nearby then we were watching it form across the highway, you wouldn't believe the rush of people who just had to get Chile or a frosty Management wouldn't let us stop working either, it ended up missing us entirely though
In the end if a suspect kills him or if a tornado kills him he still will die so he knew he needed to keep a calm head and not let whatever he is chasing get away from him
Damn, this cop has some real tornado chasing chops. That was some close in photography right at the beginning. He's got a good future as a tornado chaser if he chooses that career path. It sure seems like a growth industry for folks like this with nerves of steel and a Safelight frequent buyer card to cover the hail damage.
I agree! I'd like to know how he realized he was on the bad side of the tornado, but still managed to keep it in his dashcam without being broadsided by the RFD.
Who needs storm chasers when you have policemen out there taking videos! Exceptional courage. So sorry for all the loss. kept saying, “RUN” as I watched.
I heard the transmission say that some homes "were no longer there" We are praying that your community suffered no loss of life and that y'all heal quickly from the devastation. God Bless you for your service in the literal face of that storm.
It was growing so fast from side to side, I was having a hard time figuring out if it was evening moving. Once I could tell it was still moving and getting bigger all I could think of was the residence that lived in the area
This is why I loved being a police officer. I loved being part of a team and stepping up when people are in need. I don't care about metals, commendations, being in the newspaper or on television. I only cared about helping those in my community.
@@kambercraighead6948 thank you. It's what I do and if I lost my life while helping citizens flee a destructive tornado, then so be it. At least I was doing something I loved to do and I was able to save many lives. My mom continuously worried about me when I was out working and especially during severe weather season. She would blow up my phone calling me when it wasn't a good time to call. I would answer when I could and told her that I can't talk right now, I'm at work and I have a job to do. I told her that I have a responsibility to the people in the community that I took an oath to protect and right now my attention is on them. I would literally tell my dad that if a police chaplin hasn't rung your doorbell then mom doesn't need to worry. I told my dad to tell my mom that I'm a highly trained police officer and I know what to do and that she needs to not call my phone every second.
@@davidatkinson8515 i agree with both of you,all the lives and the damage this EF-5 caused that day it was sad especially the little kids it killed in school,i heard this monster was 1.3 miles wide to 2 miles wide is what i hear online,had 210MPH winds,and it took the same damage path as the may 3rd 1999 1,but david picture what wouldve happened if instead of this 1 hitting that day and causing the damage,injuries,and deaths i bet that famous El Reno 1 a few days after this 1 wouldve done instead,2.6 miles wide,295MPH winds,that would be bad,where im from we had something close to this 1 but in a different way,unlike this 1 ours was in april,back in 1981,it hit after midnight,it wasnt detected on radar,all on radar were severe thunderstorms,no warning,no sirens until after it already went through,it took the city by surprise,it caused alot of damage,injured/killed people,it had an odd damage path because it only took the northern part of the city,very few even seen it on the ground or even seen it coming,so the few that did see it that survived it didnt know it was coming until they either heard that loud noise these make and or until it was already ontop of them,the few that did see it that survived said it was big about half the size as this 1,meaning if you remember when it just passed and missed the taco bell,thats what they say it looked like,it was also moving so fast that they barely saw any of it unless it hit things that cause power flashes,it was anticyclonic,it had winds of over 200MPH,so after they saw all the damage it caused they rated it an EF-4
@@chrisgcrane5217 yeah that was sad. I know those little kids were scared out of their minds hearing that thing coming closer and closer to them. It shouldn't take a disaster like that to debate on whether storm shelters should be in our schools, that should be a given. Whether it be an underground or above ground shelter, the money used to pay for it is a small price to pay for the lives of our children.
Incredible footage. I've been in a few of those - was caught in my car near Wichita Falls/Burk back in 95 (it was a small F1 that, thankfully, never touched down in city limits... but it went over my car and made it SWIM and DANCE along the highway in near whiteout conditions! That one freaked me out!!!!). I saw the 99 Moore tornado moments after it hit, the 79 WF tornado (i was little back then and it didn't really register) and the 2000 Fort Worth tornado as I drove in right behind it, watching its approach. I'm supposed to be "used to" them after all these years. Well, I may not be scared of them necessarily - because honestly, they're awe inspiring and quite the sight to behold. But if I'm actually in one, all bets are off and it's time to wet my pants once again. Wow.
BTDT. Got boxed in with traffic as they stopped, rain bands hit like a fire hose on the windshield, can't even see the very short and very near hood of my van though it's mid-afternoon. Electrical substation about 150 ft away on the downwind side as the van rocks up on two wheels- twice- as the winds increase. Don't know how strong it's going to be but can't do anything except ride it out as there's no ditches or buildings, just an open field all around. Spookiest feeling in the world. After it passes I'm driving past downed signs, parts of roofs, and light debris everywhere. Later on find out I was just inside an EF-1... Not something I care to do again- ever!
Every video I see, that thing looked absolutely monstrous as it crossed I-44. I imagine the damage path and destructiveness would have been worse had it maintained that width.
You did almost everything right. Aside from a very little needed editing... You did NOT add stupid music, there was no idiot inserted into one of the corners screaming "oh my god" and describing what the tornado sounded like, there was no asinine logo blocking the picture or declaring NOT FOR BROADCAST across the middle, and you kept the genuine radio calls instead of inserting phony stuff. KUDOS - THUMBS UP
+Janice Popper We don't owe cops anything. They don't become cops to help people they do it because it's exciting and/or they want power over other people. Firefighters are the real heroes in society.
You are a brave man sir. Thank you for your and your family's service. That was the most amazing real life experience I've ever seen. A truly exceptional example of what 99.99% of the police offers do accross this country - to serve and protect. Well done and thanks to all the great officers
This has to be the most powerful single funnel tornado in history. Joplin, El Reno, Hackleburg, Tuscaloosa, Smithville,Rainsville, Washington, Andover, Jarrell Manitoba,etc were all Multi-Vortex.
While is was one of the strongest tornados in American history there were stronger here’s a few most notable 1990 august Plainfield tornado 318 mph wind f-6 borderline very visious, 2008 Parkersburg Iowa same strength as Plainfield the 1999 muhall Oklahoma monster wedge even bigger than elreno and stronger and March 1990 Heston-Gisselle Kansas monster multivortex wedge over 300 mph wind in that one and the Katie Oklahoma tornado was incredibly violent with the most intense rotation ever filmed although it was only an f-4 and last but hardly least is the 1995 pampa Texas tornado of incredible strength 250+ mph small but mighty
@@claytongillaspy8847 , correct. But I'm referring to this as a single vortex tornado. Parkersburg I don't believe was as strong as Joplin. And if we are counting all tornados, the May 3rd, 1999 Bridge Creek was the strongest winds ever recorded. Phil Campbell and Smithville EF5s in 2011 were next in strength.
Not sure what people expect a lone police officer to do about a tornado other than track it and relay its position to emergency services. It's not like he could stop the thing.
@@Philip02K The video footage is just a bonus. You are quite correct that he is reporting its position and getting any needed first responders en route.
@@generalpatton8468 not everywhere has cellars or basements. Houses in Texas certainly don't. OP your best bet, if you live in a site built home, is to go into an interior bathroom or closet (no exterior walls). If you live in a trailer or manufactured home, and there's the possibility of tornadic activity, get to your closest big structure (like a walmart) before the storm hits and ride it out. Obviously, if you have a cellar or storm shelter, that's the best choice.
Kaye Shearer ive seen a couple tornadoes and i have had a tornado warning. Best thing to do is get to a basement a inner room with no windows and protect ur head.
It did in Bucks Co.,Pa. last year-the Bensalem footage of an EF-3 hitting the Falkoner car dealership on Street Rd. I was in Philly at the time.Didnt see anything in the sky to my North that afternoon,but check the videos.First major one in Eastern Pa that I remember.Im 60.
When he said Crossing I-44 it was eerie because that was same highway that it crossed in 1999. I live in Aus but I have family in Oklahoma and I am half american.
holy shit I had no idea that the tornado grew that fast. in the span of 3 minutes this thing was given life and by 2 minutes in this thing was already a wedge.
Too close for comfort! I thought you were a had-lad when you were in the parking lot of the fire station as it was about to head behind Taco Bell/KFC! Killer video! Glad you are ok!
Well if law enforcement doesn’t workout for this officer......He has great backup plan, an awesome storm chaser for sure. Imagine him having a better setup , this footage is awesome too. I’m sure his courage went a long way in helping save lives.
Thanks for the great footage. I always wonder how EMS and Police deal with tornadoes and the aftermath. My police friends here don't have any protocol for tornadoes and I live in central texas
This police officer is very brave because these big tornados can get many sattelite tornados and he could have been hit. Not to mention debri. Bless You
Pecos Hank. Wild video! 1:20 !!! I’ve always been fascinated by tornadoes and live in the Midwest on the periphery of major tornado country (greater Cincinnati area) and this is incredible footage. Also, I will always comment pekos Hank to direct people to fantastic tornado/storm chaser professional video 🙏🏻
I lived in S. Florida for 27 years and went through hurricanes including Andrew and would rather of lived there than tornado prone areas. Those tornado warnings and the sounds of sirens can be terrifying. At least with us, we had days to prepare and homes that were made from cinder-blocks though there was one development called Countrywalk that was allowed to be built from wood. That development was wiped out during Andrew and no more wood constructed houses were allowed after that.
For the chuckleheads that refuse to understand, it may seem that this Police Chief wasn't doing a darn thing. At the beginning, you'll notice that all traffic vanished in front of him; he was probably holding everyone safely behind him. Later, on the knoll at the interchange, he was probably directing his available officers, on the other side of this beast, to prepare for immediate rescue entry--as prudent--as SECONDS sometimes can count, in order to minimize ex post facto fatalities. And later, as he gets a better idea of the track, he will roll up his own sleeves, and do his own part, personally SAVING LIVES.
Thank you and you are correct. I could only stop traffic from entering the tornado. I had officers less than a mile from it along with the fire dept and EMS. I needed to track it to see how much area that was damaged to come up with a plan to not only search and rescue but to stop looters. The area that was damaged just had one way in/out so the area was easy to contained . There was only one person that had injuries, we was very lucky.
I'm glad that I can help, in this potential "officer needs assistance" situation (via RU-vid--Laughs!!), Chief Norman, because there's just way too many dumb, misunderstanding civilians who simply will not get a clue as to what's good Public Safety work, especially when fine officers may feel that they are at wit's end, in extreme situations. Every thing depends upon that officer and her/his comrades, then and they CAN NOT lose it. I've had a few LEO's in my family tree, a grandfather who was an elected Midwestern Sheriff during the Great Depression, and a brother who, after his tour of duty in Vietnam as a Marine, later became a Marine Police, sometimes assisting NCIS crime scene containments and investigations. So, I leave you with some parting words, from Sgt. Phil Esterhaus of "Hill Street Blues . . . "Let's be CAREFUL, out there."
It is a portion of unmentioned reality that the police department and highway patrol are often ahead of the storm chasers or right by them to prevent further travel into or away from an on coming tornado. I still can visualize in the El Reno tornado footage of a storm chaser doing his best to escape the on coming monster tornado and recording the passenger shooting from the back seat out the broken back window as the truck or suv , was racing down the road. The video showed one or two cruisers just parked at the intersection and assumably going to be engaged with the winds of the tornado. Those officers were not running away from their responsibilities to prevent travel one way or another. It's certain to believe that nobody from the departments were killed by the El Reno tornado, but it was obvious that the had just as good as any to be a victim of the wide spread twister because of their closenset to the beast of a tornado is was and the reported casualties soon after the tornado had pasted through and roped out.
