Operation Warn

Operation Warn is an initiative to make 100,000 specially-priced NOAA Weather Radios available to Oklahoma City residents by the end of 2002. The public has responded by purchasing nearly 22,000 of these life-saving radios in the past year. Staff from the NOAA Weather Partners in Norman, including NSSL, helped NOAA Weather Radio owners program their units at two events at local malls this spring and at three similar events last year. They also provided tornado safety information and answered questions about severe weather research and forecasting. The program is coordinated by Oklahoma City Emergency Management, Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management and NOAA's NWS. NOAA Weather Partners' Keli Tarp has directed publicity efforts for Operation Warn and arranged radio programming events. NSSL's Daphne Zaras has recruited volunteers and programmed radios at most of the events. Operation Warn was recognized in May with the Mark Trail Award, an award honoring individuals, corporations, and state and county governments that used NOAA weather radios to save lives during severe weather events. Mark Trail is a comic strip character and the fictitious spokes-person for NOAA Weather Radio.