Warning: Attending Games May be Hazardous to Your Health

A catwalk and equipment looming over the floor of the Georgia Dome sway ominously. A coach and his player point to the scene with looks of concern shadowing their faces, as if to say, "Hey, what's going on here?" Above the roar of cheering SEC fans, howling wind and large claps of thunder can be heard. In a post-9/11 world, I am sure a sense of uneasiness is beginning to spread throughout the crowd.

The concern was obviously warranted but not because of the fury of terrorists, it was the wrath of mother nature that wreaked havoc on the SEC tournament and the Dome. And while many fans are bemoaning the SEC's decision to bar fans from the new tournament venue, my concern is of a different variety.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution describes the scene inside Friday night's Alabama/Mississippi State game as follows: "The game was stopped after the Dome roof shook and debris-including nuts and bolts and washers- fell to the ground from the tarpaulin-covered ceiling. The game was halted and the teams retreated to their respective locker rooms while fans in attendance were encouraged to remain in their seats." (Atlanta Journal Constitution, 3/14/08)

What?! Wait a minute. Thousands of fans are sitting in the Georgia Dome downtown Atlanta watching a game unaware that tornadoes howl just outside sending nuts, bolts, and, I don't know, possibly steel beams flying to the ground, and the first indication of concern is Gottfried and players pointing to the ceiling. Was no one in that building aware that severe weather was in the area? Is there no Dome official who watches the radar or at least the Weather Channel when a tornado warning is in the area? What if the Dome had received a direct hit? Is it able to withstand that? As I understand it, a weather announcement wasn't even made until AFTER the game had been stopped and the Dome had already been damaged. I obviously was not there, nor do I know the answer to any of these questions. But I'd be a tad upset if I were sitting in the Dome with my kids or watching my own child play basketball, and there's a tornado directly outside, and no one inside is even aware. What if the catwalk had crashed to the floor hitting the players or fans?

What if....what if....is a question that has been floating around in my mind since Friday night. I don't know much about the structural soundness of the Dome, but I do know the venue was moved because the damage was more than had previously been thought, meaning it wasn't sound enough to house fans for games on Saturday. I guess I'm just wondering if there is an evacuation plan for fans, not just players, in case of a tornado or hurricane or heaven forbid, a terrorist attack. Do you make an announcement so people at least have the option to get under their seat and cover their heads? I realize anything involving thousands is tricky, and I guess they were certainly safer inside than out, but is there a plan better than sit here and hope for the best? During a severe tornado warning, do you at least call off the action on the court, where equipment looms just overhead and pull the players to safety?

Perhaps, I'm overreacting, but I'm concerned with the lack of concern over the events of Friday night's game. As a matter of fact, this isn't the first time the Dome's had problems. In 1995, just after a football game, roof panels collapsed after heavy rain wiping out 500 seats and concrete supports.(AJC, 3/16/08) What if that had happened Friday night? As one who loves basketball and plans to attend the NCAA regionals here in Birmingham, I would just like to know that these sort of safety concerns have been discussed and prepared for in my own town.

See following link for photos:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jSsOxras_DX9mDm0WOptfY7W_LLwD8VDP2J00