Volunteer Divisions

Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters offers several ways for members to participate. Whether you're monitoring weather from home, actively observing storms in the field, or helping manage our community, every role plays an important part in our mission of promoting weather awareness and public safety.

🖥️ Radar Operations Team

The Radar Operations Team consists of members who monitor weather conditions from home or another safe location using radar, satellite imagery, weather models, and official National Weather Service products.

Responsibilities include:

• Monitoring radar and weather data

• Tracking severe weather development

• Sharing weather updates with members

• Assisting field teams with storm information

• Participating in weather discussions and event coordination

This role is ideal for members who may not be able to chase storms but still want to actively contribute.

🌩️ Ground Observation Team

The Ground Observation Team includes members who safely observe and document weather conditions in the field.

Responsibilities include:

• Observing severe weather

• Reporting hail, damaging winds, flooding, and tornadoes

• Providing real-time updates to the team

• Sharing photos and videos when it is safe to do so

• Reporting significant weather to the National Weather Service when appropriate

• Always following safe storm chasing practices

Members are expected to obey all traffic laws, avoid interfering with emergency responders, and never place themselves or others in unnecessary danger.

🛡️ Leadership Team

The Leadership Team is responsible for overseeing the organization and ensuring that Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters operates professionally and safely.

This team may include:

• Founder

• Administrators

• Moderators

• Management Staff

• Team Leaders

Responsibilities include:

• Managing daily operations

• Assisting members

• Organizing training and events

• Enforcing group policies and rules

• Reviewing membership applications

• Coordinating volunteer activities

• Maintaining a respectful and welcoming community

Leadership members are expected to lead by example and uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.

🤝 Every Role Matters

Whether you're tracking storms from your computer, observing weather in the field, or helping manage the organization, every volunteer contributes to the success of Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters. Our goal is to work together as one team to promote safe storm spotting, responsible storm chasing, weather education, and community service throughout Tennessee.

Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters

Volunteer Participation, Liability, and Safety Policy

Effective Date:  2026

Our Mission

Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters is a volunteer-based community dedicated to weather education, storm spotting, responsible storm chasing, and assisting the public by sharing accurate weather information. Our members are volunteers and are not employees, agents, emergency responders, or representatives of any government agency unless specifically serving in those roles independently.

Volunteer Participation

Participation in Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters is completely voluntary. Every member is responsible for making their own decisions before, during, and after any storm chase, weather event, meeting, training session, or community activity.

Members may choose whether or not to participate in any event and are free to leave an event at any time.

Assumption of Risk

Storm chasing, storm spotting, and severe weather observation involve inherent risks, including but not limited to:

• Severe thunderstorms

• Tornadoes

• Flash flooding

• Lightning

• Hail

• High winds

• Falling trees or debris

• Traffic accidents

• Poor road conditions

• Mechanical vehicle failures

• Limited visibility

• Remote locations

By participating in any Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters activity, each member acknowledges these risks and voluntarily accepts full responsibility for their own safety and actions.

No Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters, its founder, administrators, moderators, volunteers, event organizers, and members shall not be held liable for:

• Personal injury

• Death

• Property damage

• Vehicle damage

• Financial losses

• Lost wages

• Medical expenses

• Equipment damage

• Towing expenses

• Traffic citations

• Criminal or civil actions resulting from an individual's conduct

• Any indirect or consequential damages

Each participant assumes full responsibility for their own decisions and actions.

Personal Responsibility

Every member agrees to:

• Obey all local, state, and federal laws.

• Follow all traffic laws.

• Never trespass on private property.

• Respect emergency responders.

• Yield to emergency vehicles.

• Never interfere with emergency operations.

• Exercise good judgment at all times.

• Leave an area immediately if conditions become unsafe.

Vehicle Responsibility

Each participant is solely responsible for:

• Their vehicle

• Vehicle maintenance

• Fuel

• Insurance

• Driver's license

• Registration

• Safe operation

Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters does not inspect, certify, or guarantee the safety of any participant's vehicle.

Weather Information Disclaimer

Information shared through our website, social media pages, radio communications, text messages, live streams, or mobile applications is provided for educational and informational purposes only.

Members should never rely solely on information from Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters when making safety decisions. Always monitor official weather information from the National Weather Service and local emergency management agencies.

No Emergency Services

Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters is not an emergency response agency.

Our volunteers are not dispatched by 911 and should never represent themselves as police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, emergency managers, or government officials unless they separately hold those positions.

Photography and Media

Members may take photographs and video during events.

By participating in public group activities, members acknowledge that photographs or videos may be used by Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters for educational, promotional, or historical purposes unless otherwise prohibited by law.

Volunteer Conduct

Members are expected to:

• Treat others with respect.

• Follow all applicable laws.

• Avoid reckless driving.

• Refrain from harassment or discrimination.

• Conduct themselves professionally while representing the organization.

Violation of these standards may result in suspension or removal from the organization.

No Guarantee of Safety

While Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters promotes safe storm chasing practices, no activity can be guaranteed to be safe.

Participation is entirely at the individual's own risk.

Indemnification

Participants agree to indemnify and hold harmless Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters, its founder, administrators, moderators, volunteers, and affiliated members from any claims, damages, liabilities, costs, or legal expenses arising from the participant's own actions, negligence, or violation of laws during any organization-related activity.

Policy Changes

Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters reserves the right to update or modify these policies at any time. Continued participation constitutes acceptance of the most current version.

Agreement

By joining Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters or participating in any organization-sponsored activity, event, training session, or storm chase, each participant acknowledges that they have read, understood, and agree to abide by this policy.

Approved By

William Long
Founder & Owner
Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters

Effective Date:  2026

SKYWARN® Certification Requirement

Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters is an independent volunteer organization and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the National Weather Service (NWS), the SKYWARN® program, or any government agency.

To help ensure that our members understand severe weather safety and proper storm reporting procedures, we require all active members to complete the free SKYWARN® Spotter Training offered by the National Weather Service.

Requiring SKYWARN certification helps promote:

• Safer storm spotting practices

• Accurate weather observations

• Responsible reporting of severe weather

• A consistent level of training among our members

While SKYWARN certification is a requirement for membership in Tennessee Storm Chasers and Spotters, completion of the training does not make you an employee, representative, agent, or official member of the National Weather Service. Your certification simply demonstrates that you have completed the National Weather Service's volunteer storm spotter training.

We encourage all members to keep their SKYWARN training current by attending refresher courses whenever they are offered by their local National Weather Service office.