FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Debbie Brateman didn't sign up to chase storms. She signed up for the sunsets.
Brateman, a Fort Pierce resident, is one of WPTV's First Alert Weather Spotters — a community program that relies on volunteers across South Florida to report on weather conditions in their neighborhoods.
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"It doesn't have to always be the negative stuff. It's the beautiful sunsets that you get," Brateman said.
For Brateman, participation in the program has been as much about learning as it has been about contributing.
"I learned a lot about things that I never knew anything about," she said.
She also wants others to know the barrier to entry is low — no professional equipment required. Her motivation goes beyond personal enjoyment. Brateman sees the program as a way to make a difference for her neighbors.
"If you're not a Weather Spotter and you have interest at all in photography — and I do mine with my cell phone, so it's not like you need professional cameras — it pays because something that you see may help somebody, and even something beautiful that you see might make somebody's day," Brateman said.
WPTV's Weather Spotters serve as eyes and ears for the station across the South Florida community, regardless of what weather conditions are approaching.
Those interested in joining the program can sign up on the WPTV website under the Weather Spotter tab.
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