WRC chief meteorologist Doug Kammerer had one of those moments when the reality of his job intersected with his personal life.
Kammerer was reporting live about tornado warnings issued by the National Weather Service last night on the Washington, D.C. NBC owned station when he paused the alert to call his kids and tell them to go to the basement for safety.
“Gotta warn my kids,” Kammerer said after hanging up the phone and resuming his weather report.
“Yes, had to warn my family!” Kammerer wrote on Twitter. “Kids were home alone and I knew they were not watching me on TV! They are safe. Thank you! Scary moment for me though, I was freaking out inside a bit.”
NPR said NWS meteorologist James Morrow was watching WRC when Kammerer made his phone call.
“The decision to cut in is not easy for stations to do, and for meteorologists to ask permission to do,” Morrow told NPR. “But as a consumer of their feed, and a scientists who understands the risks of strong tornadic storms like this, it was heartening to see this type of coverage for what could’ve turned into a very serious situation.”
Yes, had to warn my family! Kids were home alone and I knew they were not watching me on TV! They are safe. Thank you! Scary moment for me though, I was freaking out inside a bit. https://t.co/To8mPxibBh
— Doug Kammerer (@dougkammerer) April 1, 2022