NOAA emergency radios save lives
I encourage Waupaca County residents to own a NOAA All Hazards Alert Weather Radio, a 24-hour source of weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and non-weather emergency information.
The radios are provided by the National Weather Service and its parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
"NOAA emergency weather radios save lives," says Wisconsin Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Tod Pritchard. "The early warning of possible danger gives you and your family time to act and stay safe." Pritchard adds this reminder, "Listen, Act and Live! Listen to the weather radio warnings and take action right away. You'll have a much better chance of surviving disaster."
Weather radios are smoke detectors for danger. A NOAA Weather Radio with an alarm and battery back-up is one of the best ways to protect your family, especially at night when the alarm feature can wake you up during severe weather and give you and your family time to seek appropriate shelter. If there is no severe weather or emergency your radio can be switched to a silent, stand-by mode.
ReadyWisconsin profiles people who survived tornadoes thanks to emergency weather radio. You can see those profiles at http://readywisconsin.wi.gov
The NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards network started in 1972 and is the sole government-operated radio system to provide direct warnings for all hazardous conditions that pose a threat to lives and property. There are 37 stations that broadcast weather and hazards information to the residents of Wisconsin, and over 1,000 stations nationwide.
Weather radios come in many sizes, with a variety of functions and costs. They can be purchased at most electronic stores. Most weather radio receivers are either battery-operated portables or AC-powered desktop models with battery backup.
The portable weather radios are an important item to take along when you are enjoying the outdoors such as camping and boating. Many receivers have digital technology called Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) that allows users to program their radios to alarm only for hazardous conditions that affect their county.
For additional information about weather radios, go to http://readywisconsin.wi.gov. You'll also find a Q & A section with the most asked questions about emergency weather radios.
For more information, contact Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Tod Pritchard at tod.pritchard@wisconsin.gov.
Andrew Carlin is director of Waupaca County Emergency Management.
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