Damien Lodes didn’t get into meteorology to get “rich and famous.”

“I just want to make sure people are safe,” he told Kingfisher Lions Club members last Thursday. “Those towns aren’t just names on a map.”

The meteorologist for KFOR-TV (Channel 4) out of Oklahoma City isn’t just providing lip service, especially when it comes to Kingfisher County.

Lodes was born in Kingfi sher and lived either here or Okarche for his first eight years before his family moved to Oklahoma City.

He still has family in Kingfisher.

Lodes returned to his former hometown to speak to the local civic group.

He eventually graduated from Southeast High School in 2004, then enlisted in the Marines and served five years.

After serving, he garnered his degree from the University of Oklahoma.

Lodes was the chief meteorologist at a Midland, Texas, station before joining KFOR in 2016.

“My roots go deep here,” he said. “I’ve always loved Kingfisher and coming back.”

Lodes said the Oklahoma City market is very competitive for meteorologists.

“This is, technically, the ‘severe weather capital of the world,’” he said. “In order to work here, you have to know what you’re doing.”

Although Lodes said there’s always pressure to draw more eyes to a broadcast, his focus is being right.

“I’m trying to bank on my accuracy,” he said. “And hopefully that builds up with the audience over time.”

Lodes answered mul-tiple questions from the audience and explained some of the difficulties in forecasting severe weather, whether it be tornadoes or snowstorms.

In addition to evolving radar, he said the biggest advancements during his time as a meteorologist is video technology, more specifically using drones.