Warren Faidley
Warren Faidley (born May 11, 1957) is an American extreme weather journalist, storm and disaster survival expert, photographer and cinematographer,[1][2] Faidley was the first storm chaser (and accredited journalist) to create a full-time, professional occupation solely from pursuing severe weather.[3]
Faidley’s interest in storm chasing can be traced to his childhood, when he spent his time riding his bicycle into dust devils.[4] His childhood "chases" nearly killed him after he was swept away by a flash flood.[4] His very first tornado chase landed him in Saragosa, Texas a small community that had been swept away by a violent F4 tornado on May 22, 1987.[4] His professional career was launched after he took a photograph of lightning hitting a light pole in an oil and gasoline tank farm in Tucson, Arizona. The image was published in Life Magazine,[3] billing him as a "Storm Chaser”.
Career
Faidley was an initial motion picture consultant for Twister.[3] He has been featured on numerous television specials including National Geographic, The O'Reilly Factor and The Discovery Channel HD Theater and The Weather Channel. His images and footage have been used by clients including Paul McCartney, NASA, The New York Times, MTV, Sheryl Crow, Life Magazine, NASCAR and USA Today. He serves occasionally as a severe weather consultant and survival expert for major news cable channels including Fox News and CNN. Faidley provided live survival instructions on Fox News as a violent tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma on May 20, 2013.[5]
Faidley is an advocate for extreme weather and disaster education. He is an international lecturer[6] and severe weather survival expert.[7] He is the founder and Chairperson of the Storm Angel Foundation,[8] a charity that educates children about severe weather. He has received numerous awards for his photography, journalism, educational and public service contributions, including certificates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a William Randolph Hearst Foundation Journalism Award.[9] He has written two books and collaborated on over 20 literary projects, including his early life, pictorial autobiography "Storm Chaser," in 1996.[10] (Storm Chaser was re-released as an eBook in 2009). In 2006 Faidley authored "The Ultimate Storm Survival Handbook."[11] The handbook includes severe weather and disaster survival tips based on Faidley's first-hand experiences.
Eye of the Storm
In 1997 Faidley was the subject of Stephen Kramer's book Eye of the Storm.[12]
Contributions
Faidley's photographs and footage are frequently used for educational and safety projects, including those of the National Weather Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Red Cross. Faidley is the CEO of Weatherstock Inc., a stock picture and footage agency and Storm Risk, a severe weather consulting company. He has consulted and/or appeared as a corporate spokesperson for clients including DuPont, SureFire and Johnson & Johnson.
Education
Faidley is a graduate from University of Arizona and Pima Community College. He is a pilot, and an Arizona Registered EMT-B. He once held an Arizona State Land Wildland firefighter certification. He is a recipient of a William Randolph Heart Photojournalism Award.[2] He resides in Tucson.
References
- ↑ Roush, Margaret E. (2008). "Current Biography". H.W. Wilson Co.
- 1 2 Weatherstock (2008). "Warren Faidley Biography".
- 1 2 3 Carson, Mary Kay (2007). Weather Projects for Young Scientists. Chicago Review Press. p. 82. ISBN 1-55652-629-6.
- 1 2 3 Warren Faidley (2006 e-edition 2009) Storm Chaser - A lifelong quest to find the perfect storm. ASIN: B0028N6OMK
- ↑ http://foxnewsinsider.com/2013/05/20/stunning-live-footage-tornado-touches-down-near-oklahoma-city
- ↑ http://www.jodisolomonspeakers.com/
- ↑ http://www.disastersurvival.org
- ↑ http://www.stormchaser.com/stormangel.html
- ↑ http://hearstfdn.org/hearst_journalism/
- ↑ http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Chaser-lifelong-perfect-ebook/dp/B0028N6OMK
- ↑ http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Storm-Survival-Handbook-ebook/dp/B003DS6OOW/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1378060923&sr=1-1&keywords=ultimate+storm+survival+handbook
- ↑ Fredericks, Anthony D. (2001). Investigating Natural Disasters Through Children's Literature: An Integrated Approach. Libraries Unlimited. p. 111. ISBN 1-56308-861-4.
Further reading
Kramer, Stephen P.; et al. (1999). Eye of the Storm: Chasing Storms with Warren Faidley. Penguin USA. ISBN 0-698-11766-2.
Faidley, Warren (2006). Storm Chaser eBook edition: A Lifelong Quest to Find the Perfect Storm. Weatherstock Inc. ISBN 1888763000.
Faidley, Warren (2006). The Ultimate Storm Survival Handbook. Weatherstock Inc. ISBN 1-4016-0285-1.
Harris/Faidley (2005). Voyages: Wild Weather - Chase The Planet's Wildest Weather With "Cyclone Cowboy" Warren Faidley. Kingfisher Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7534-1184-9.