Andrews There are people who run away from danger, and there are those who run right toward it. Meet Zack Williams, a local man with a cool hobby and plenty of advice to share.
Williams is 17 years old and works in construction with family members. He likes his job, but loves what he does on the side.
Born in Franklin, he grew up and is still a resident of Andrews. As a youngster, he was not just afraid of storms, but really afraid.
“I used to be terrified of storms, I did not like them,” he said. “The sound of thunder made me anxious to my stomach every time a warning came across for a severe thunderstorm or tornado.”
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Although he has feared the possibility of wicked weather ever since age 6, he has been fascinated with storms. He realized early on that he wanted to pursue a career in storm chasing.
Williams was introduced to an opportunity to be more involved with the storms he feared by his father.
SKYWARN is a volunteer program run by the National Weather Service to provide critical weather information. SKYWARN spotters are trained to report severe weather to the NWS, such as tornadoes, hail, flooding and severe thunderstorms. In some areas, spotters also report ice accumulation and snowfall.
Williams goes even further and outside of the SKYWARN parameters of just relaying weather information back to the NWS. He has actually been chasing storms for three years with two partners, Jake and Cherish Flowers.
They help warn those around them about impending storms, allowing folks more safety preparation time. Williams also does it because “it’s a good part to play in the community,” he said.
He is no longer afraid, but looks forward to running after storms. He is, however, still aware of the potential for injury. His parents although supportive, are still concerned for their sons safety.
Williams travels with a chainsaw and other equipment to help assist with clearing debris, such as fallen trees, after a storm.
His advice to others is not to try and outrun a tornado. If caught in your vehicle during a storm, Williams suggests leaving the vehicle, laying in a ditch and covering your head. It is better to find a building or some kind of shelter. It is also important to get to the most interior part of the building, and do not leave the windows open.
His priorities for the activities he performs are safety and rescue – in that order. There are some intense moments when looking for and running after storms and tornados.
“The moment my heart dropped for a minute was when I was chasing with my team and we didn’t think anything was happening. Then we looked up and the rotation was right above us, that will get you shaken a little bit,” Williams said.
His involvement with the team will be slowing down soon as he will become a father in the near future. However, there are other hobbies he still enjoys, such as fishing and hunting. He has three dogs and two cats to keep him busy as well.
Williams attends Tri-County Community College in Peachtree, where he is working on getting his GED.
Details: Visit weather.gov/skywarn.