NOAA Weather Radios

Weather Radio's Round-the-Clock Warnings Help Keep You and Your Family Safe

 

Radio Features:

  • Operates on special frequencies - not on commercial AM/FM frequencies.
  • Special Warning alarm immediately activates for flood, weather, and "all-hazards" events, such as - tsunami, volcano, and hazardous material releases.
  • "EAS-type" SAME Weather Radio models permit you to alarm only the warnings you want for your specific area. For "EAS-Type" SAME programmable Weather Radios, the list of county codes for your radio is available from the Washington State Association of Broadcasters.
  • New event-specific programming feature (select models) allows you to choose which event you want an alert for.
  • Tests of the warning alarm are conducted each Wednesday around mid-day.
  • Weather Radios have battery backup in case of power outages.
  • Broadcast area National Weather Service forecasts and current conditions 24-hours a day.
  • Weather Radios are available at many radio electronic retailers and internet outlets (See: Where to get Weather Radios).
  • Some weather radio receivers have attachments for the hearing- and sight-impaired.

For more information write:

National Weather Service
7600 Sand Point Way, NE
Seattle, WA 98115
             or
National Weather Service
2601 N. Rambo Road
Spokane, WA 99224

Why Weather Radios?

Do you have a smoke detector? Of course - it alerts you when it detects smoke. Weather radios alert you to many other immediate, life-threatening hazards in your area, like weather, tsunamis, volcanos, hazardous releases, and other dangerous events.

Without a weather radio, you could miss a critical warning message from local emergency authorities that could save your life and those in your family.

Weather Radios should be as common as smoke detectors in homes and businesses statewide to help protect lives and property from natural and technological hazards.

"There is just one federally controlled medium that carries all alerts - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Weather Radio."
     -Ellen Simon The Associated Press June 28, 2004

Presidential Executive Order - Weather Radio is an important element to this Executive Order with warning messages reaching as many Americans as possible in a timely and effective manner (June 2006).

"For Starters, Get Yourself a NOAA Weather Radio"
      -David Coursey (Apr. 11, 2003) Editorial in ZDNet.

Weather Radios are an important component of all home and business disaster preparedness plans and kits. Preparedness information for your home, neighborhood, and business can be found in our Preparedness section.

 

For more information, go to:

Contact

PublicEducation@emd.wa.gov or call 800.562.6108

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