I like the way James Spann puts it when he talks about the comparison to April 27 2011. If your home or your neighborhood is victim to a tornado, that is your April 27th 2011.
Everyone thinks about it and compares it to that date, because that is the day many people were killed in Alabama and in the South East and it is the most recent Tornado Outbreak in the state and the country. Their were 216 Tornadoes on that day according to Wikipedia. 62 of those in the state of Alabama. Over 3000 people were injured. People are scared because of what occurred that day. Any time you have the media, meteorologist, enthusiasts and people who think they understand how to forecast weather talk about how bad weather will be on a certain day, it causes people to pay attention.
It isn't going to stop people from comparing it to a devastating day most people have witnessed for themselves. The word has to get out about the possibilities for storms and that we as a group help spread that word because I would rather people pay attention and nothing happen than to have people not pay attention and something happen where people get injured or killed.
We can all get complacent. However it is important to let people know that it is OK to be frightened, but inform them that they need to stay aware, and if they are really really scared, point them to a community storm shelter where they can stay during the storms so they can feel safe. Most importantly comfort them. Show them the good works the communities did after the storms to help rebuild lives, homes and communities.
Weather can be a beast and sometimes our lives can be devastated by it. Life continues on, we must rebuild and help each other rebuild and heal. It cannot be done alone.
My hope is that people pay attention and stay aware no matter what happens and that lives are saved.
Oh and if you do not have a weather radio, you need one. Not just for these upcoming storms, but for always.