News On 6 Meteorologists React To Deaths Of 3 Storm Chasers In El Reno

Meteorologists in Green Country are remembering the men and the dedication to their jobs.

Our own meteorologists knew the members of the Samaras family who died.

The Canadian County's Sheriff's Office confirms 55-year-old Tim Samaras, his son 24-year-old Paul Samaras and 45-year-old Carl Young were killed while chasing the El Reno tornado.

Complete Coverage: May 2013 Tornado Outbreak

News On 6 meteorologist and producer Tom Bennett said he knows the Samaras family personally.

Here in Tulsa, Bennett and News On 6 meteorologist Mike Grogan join are part of a team of chasers who are the eyes and ears on the ground during severe weather.

Bennett and Grogan said Tim Samara's contributions to the science of storm chasing will be remembered.

"Especially with it being Tim," Bennett said. "He was a colleague and a friend. I had the opportunity to chase with him a couple of times in the group... [he] and his son were passionate about it."

They were seasoned chasers, dedicated to their craft and educated about the dangers. According to our meteorology crew, the three weren't part of a wild group looking to become Internet sensations. These men, in particular, were known for their practice of safety during chases. They knew the data they collected would impact communities and future methods.

"[Tim was] a rather a conservative storm chaser to begin with, to be honest, so that's why it's shocking to hear," Grogan said. "But it will send ripples throughout the community and hopefully allow people to realize that you got to have a healthy respect for these kind of storms."

Storm chasers have been an essential tool for gathering scientific data from tornadoes.

For TV stations, live video is fed from the trucks in the field to help meteorologists confirm what they are actually seeing on radar.

6/2/2013 Related Story: Three Storm Chasers Killed Chasing Tornado In El Reno

The National Weather Service says a total of five tornadoes touched down across the metro, including the powerful EF3 that hit near El Reno.

The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office confirmed nine people, including two children, were killed. Two others were killed in flood waters that rose after the storms.