10 Questions with ... Mike Prendergast

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

KLTY/Dallas's Mike Prendergast programs the largest non-network Christian radio station in the country. He won't necessarily bring that up in conversation, but it's hardly a secret in this industry. He enjoys his job; and as PD of one of the most consistently-top-rated stations in Market #5, he's clearly brilliant at it.

But if you really want to see Mike light up, ask him about the tornadoes in his life. During the height of storm-chasing season-which happens to be now through June-he takes any chance he can get to chase twisters throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and even as far as Nebraska. In this interview, Mike shares the joy, ministry and adventure he's discovered as a storm chaser-and what got him into that field (literally!) in the first place.

1) What's your radio career path that's brought you to where you are presently?

I started at KLTY in 1996 as an intern in the Promotions Department. I was hired (and paid!) after my internship was over and worked there for a year. I then went to mainstream AC KVIL for eight years, starting in promotions, then moved to production, then programming. I was also the Technical Director of the Dallas Cowboys radio broadcasts for eight seasons. I eventually became APD at KVIL before leaving to take a APD/MD job back at KLTY in 2005. In 2009, I was named KLTY's PD. This is my 13th year at KLTY and my 22nd in radio.

2) If you're not at home with your family or at the station, where do you feel most alive?

In a field under an amazing supercell [rotating thunderstorm]! Being out of the city, in the middle of nowhere and observing an all-powerful supercell thunderstorm roll across the countryside is intoxicating. You can see it, smell it, feel it, taste it and just about touch it.

3) Was weather at all instrumental in getting you into radio, or radio instrumental in getting you into weather? Or was neither the case?

Yes and no. I studied Meteorology at Texas A&M. Whoop! Long story short, I was lovesick for my girlfriend-now my wife of 21 years!-and moved back home to be closer to her. I went to the University of Texas at Arlington that did not have a Meteorology Department and changed my major to business, but took a radio class as an elective with a friend because I thought it'd be easy. I fell in love with it. So I changed to my third major in less than a year and got my Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Broadcast Management) with a minor in Business Administration in 1996. I've loved weather since I was a kid and that passion has continued for years. It's been an easy marriage living here in Tornado Alley to use my weather interest on air to help get the word out to KLTY listeners during severe weather events.

4) You've become very involved with the north Texas storm chasing community over the past several years. Do you recall the moment when you decided this was more than simply a passing interest?

Probably when I got my first bill for the equipment I purchased! Some people golf, some people fish, my expensive hobby just happens to be storm chasing.

5) What are some of the responsibilities involved with the weather-watching line of work?

It's important you know what you're doing when storm chasing. As anyone can imagine, it's inherently dangerous. Having a knowledge of how weather works, what to look for in a storm, how to read radar and understanding weather models all contribute to this. In recent years I've become certified in NIMS/ICS through FEMA; TEEX certified in Wide Area Search; NASAR Search and Rescue Tech III certified and certified in First Aid/AED/CPR. I'm also a FAA-licensed commercial drone pilot that allows me to do search & rescue and reconnaissance via drone.

6) How have you managed to balance the time and energy between storm chasing and programming a massive radio station?

I don't expect to hit every storm from here to Nebraska. I usually take a handful of days off in spring to leave DFW and chase something in another state. But the good thing about springtime storms in north Texas is that most of them happen in the late afternoon and evening so leaving right after work is a viable option. And the energy between storm chasing and programming a radio station is counter-intuitive. I may drive 400 miles roundtrip on an evening after work to go chase a storm, getting home well after midnight. But that "release" helps me stay energized with the day-to-day tasks the rest of the week. Once last spring, I was on the Kansas/Oklahoma border at sunset and had to be at a work meeting the next morning. Lots of caffeine helps too!

7) How would you best paint the picture of the most scary moment you've experienced while out on the "field"? Is it as dangerous as it looks?

It certainly can be dangerous, but you can minimize the risk if you're doing it safely. There are plenty of storm chasers who try and get in real close and get better video than the last guy and that's where scary things happen. But even trying to be safe, there are times you can get into trouble. The scariest moment happened for me on December 26, 2015. We had a round of after-dark winter tornadoes in DFW. My wife and I were chasing (yes, I said my wife-she goes with me as often as she can) and there was a tornado-warned storm headed for our town. It was after dark and nearly impossible to see it, so we had to rely on the radar. I was on live with the local CBS TV station when we nearly drove into it, seeing it hit a school a mere 400 yards from us. The anxiety of thinking it was going to hit our home (missed it by less than a mile) then nearly driving into it while trying to report on it live-then having to stop and render aid-made for an evening I'd prefer not to experience again.

8) Does anyone else at KLTY share your enthusiasm about storms, giving way to watercooler chats about weather patterns, etc.?

Everyone asks about them, but no one has my extreme passion about them. I'm not the norm. In fact, the joke is that my mid-day host, Bonnie Curry, will call my office and tell me there are "red blobs of death" on the radar on storm days. Bonnie, please don't use that term on-air!

9) Is your family on board with this passion of yours? How have they gotten involved with it, if at all?

My wife is also certified in first aid and goes with me as often as she can. She says she goes to keep me safe because I won't get as close if she's with me, but she enjoys the rush of being in the storm as well. I've taken my teenage daughters with me on a couple of local non-dangerous chase days and they're more interested in their cell phones and the latest Instagram posts than chasing.

10) What's been the most significant part of being a member of the local storm chasing community?

Being a light in a hurting world. I am a part of a group of faith-based chasers named Storm Warriors (www.StormWarriors.TV). We are all about serving others above ourselves. Our motto is Warn, Assist, Restore. Warn the community about the impeding storm, assist those in need after a storm hits and help restore communities in the days, weeks and even months after a storm has impacted. We were on the Texas Coast just hours after Hurricane Harvey hit last year and went back down on numerous occasions to bring donated supplies and to help rebuild and restore communities. We were in Canton, TX last spring when killer tornadoes swept through that town as well. We've even shot a pilot for a faith-based storm chasing reality show that we hope one day can be picked up and used to inspired millions to help those in need after a disaster.