Gale Storm

Question 0

Are you employed?

Answer 0

-Yes I have worked for the National Weather Service (NWS) for 15 years, and for the past five years have been chief meteorologist at the Duluth, Minnesota bureau and weather station.

Question 1

Please state your name for the court.

Answer 1

-My name is Gale Storm

Question 2

What are your duties as chief meteorologist?

Answer 2

-My duties include collecting and analyzing weather patterns, issuing official forecasts and warnings to all crafts, and charting out weather systems.

Question 3

And what training do you have that qualifies you for this position?

Answer 3

-I was educated at the University of Minnesota and hold advanced degrees in Oceanic and Atmospheric Science.

Question 4

Do you have any personal experience that relates to this position?

Answer 4

-Yes, I have spent most of my life on Lake Superior and have observed her weather patterns for years. In fact, for at least the past 13 years Wilder and I would take annual trips across the lake. We were what some of the captains called “regulars”.

Question 5

Now Mrs. Storm, could you please describe your relationship to Wilder Storm?

Answer 5

-Yes, he was my only child…

Question 6

Do you have any knowledge of Wilder sailing on the Edmund Fitzgerald before?

Answer 6

-Yes, he had actually sailed on the Fitzgerald two times before the last.

Question 7

And how did you feel about Wilder’s last embarkment on the Edmund Fitzgerald on November 9th?

Answer 7

-Well originally I was not happy. Wilder’s grades were failing and I didn’t think it was wise for him to go out.

Question 8

Were you working on November 9th?

Answer 8

-Yes, I was working in my capacity as chief meteorologist.

Question 9

Did anything out of the ordinary occur that day?

Answer 9

-Yes actually. I was working in my capacity as chief meteorologist when I realized that the weather over Lake Superior was deteriorating. Because of this I issued a Gale warning at about 2:39pm.

Question 10

Was there anything unique about the weather over Superior?

Answer 10

-Well at the time it was November, and during that month the weather really is the nastiest. When the wind shifts it can cause powerful low pressure systems with hurricane-like force called “witches”.

Question 11

Is it common knowledge that these “witches” occur in November?

Answer 11

-Yes it is, and in my professional opinion any ship on one of the Great Lakes when a gale warning is issued should immediately return to port or seek shelter. In fact, Lake Superior alone has about 350 ships littering its bottom because of November “witches”.

Question 12

Did the Edmund Fitzgerald comply to that opinion?

Answer 12

-No, no it didn’t. Despite the fact that I issued the gale warning only 19 minutes after they embarked.

Question 13

Was there shelter available for the Fitzgerald?

Answer 13

-Yes there was. They could have returned to port, gone to Two Harbors, Grand Marais, or a host of other towns along the lake until the storm subsided.

Question 14

Were you in any way aware of how the Fitzgerald was handling the storm?

Answer 14

-Well at 7am the next morning I got a call from my Coast Guard friend who informed me on the condition of the Fitzgerald.

Question 15

What information did you learn?

Answer 15

-My friend told me that the Fitz had sustained some minor damage and was listing a little. Also, he said that they were entering the area of the 6 Fathom Shoals.

Question 16

Was this area dangerous in any way?

Answer 16

-Yes, shoals have been known to scratch up the bottoms of ships and can result in major damage. When I found out where the Fitz was I really began to fear for Wilder’s safety.

Question 17

Did you have any other knowledge on the Edmund Fitzgerald’s condition?

Answer 17

-I do remember that in my last phone call to wilder he said something about cracked hatch covers. Apparently it wasn’t a problem because the Coast Guard cleared them for travel. However, I have learned that it was the Sleeping Giant Shipping Company’s nephew who cleared them for travel.

Question 18

Is this significant?

Answer 18

-Yes.

Question 19

Why?

Answer 19

-It’s significant because it’s more evidence of Sleeping Giant’s greed. They played roulette with my son’s life in order to fill their pockets.

Question 20

Did you hear anything else about the Edmund Fitzgerald?

Answer 20

-Yes, I got on my own HAM radio and listened to the Fitz’s broadcasts. At one point Captain McKay said to the crew of the Anderson, “We are holding our own.” For a period of time that did ease my worries.

Question 21

Do you believe everything possible was done to protect your son from harm?

Answer 21

-No. From what I’ve learned Sleeping Giant cut corners and didn’t do their job. Their greed killed my son.

Question 22

Ms. Storm, in your professional opinion, what caused the death of Wilder Storm?

Answer 22

-In my professional opinion, I believe that the reason Wilder died was because the Edmund Fitzgerald did not heed the gale warning I issued. Their disregard for weather caused Wilder’s death, and I feel like I listened to my son die.