GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – May 4th is NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Awareness Day and ReadyWisconsin encourages everyone to explore how they can add one of the life-saving devices to their home.
“It’s really aimed at it making people aware of the fact that a NOAA weather radio is something that every home should have,” said Wisconsin Emergency Management Public Information Officer, Andrew Beckett. “We feel it’s important enough to try and make people aware that this is a tool that exists for them to receive critical information.”
Severe weather can develop quickly, making it essential to have a reliable way to receive alerts. Beckett says NOAA Weather Radios are programmable to your area.
“Many of them have a menu of options that are available, that you could select to notify you if that threat exists in your area. That can include severe thunderstorm watches and warnings, tornado watches and warnings, but also winter weather,” Beckett told WTAQ News. “As well as potentially man-made hazards, such as nearby chemical leaks, if such an alert were put out that way.”
They’re also fairly cheap, at $20-$30, and available just about anywhere, whether you check a major retailer, local hardware shop, or go online. They’re also always on, with a battery backup in the case of a power outage.
“It’s always there so that you don’t hear from it until you actually have one of those alerts issued for your area,” Beckett said. “It is a device that is dependent on a radio signal. You don’t have to worry about something like an outdoor warning siren, where you may not be able to hear inside your house, or getting alerts from TV or radio where you’d have to have that device already turned on.”
But that doesn’t mean it should be your only line of defense or alert system when it comes to potential severe weather.
“It is just one tool. We encourage everyone to have multiple ways to receive alerts about the danger of severe weather that might be occurring in their area, and to always stay weather aware,” Beckett said.
All NOAA Weather Radio Stations broadcast on one of several frequencies in the VHF Public Service band. To find the frequency for your area, visit https://readywisconsin.wi.gov/make-a-kit/get-a-weather-radio/.
For more tips on emergency preparedness, visit ReadyWisconsin online at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov. You can also follow them on Facebook (https://facebook.com/ReadyWisconsin), Twitter (https://twitter.com/ReadyWisconsin), and Instagram (https://instagram.com/ReadyWisconsin).
