“Listen, Act and Live!”

May 8, 2013 is NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Awareness Day 

Wisconsin residents  are urged  to own a NOAA All Hazards Alert Weather Radio, a 24-hour source of weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and non-weather emergency information provided by the National Weather Service and its parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

 “NOAA emergency weather radios save lives”, says Tod Pritchard, Wisconsin Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. “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.

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.

Check out ReadyWisconsin to hear stories from people who survived tornadoes thanks to an emergency weather radio.

You can see these stories at http://readywisconsin.wi.gov

You’ll also find a question and answer section with the most asked questions about emergency weather radios.

 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.