NOAA WEATHER RADIO: ESSENTIAL ITEM ON EVERY HOLIDAY WISH LIST

Dec. 2, 2005 � Shoppers scurrying for holiday gifts are encouraged to purchase a NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards unit for everyone on their list. They can be purchased at many electronics and department stores or via the Internet from many online merchants. (Click NOAA image for larger view of NOAA Weather Radios from various manufacturers. Click here for high resolution version. Please credit “NOAA.”)

NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards provides immediate broadcasts of weather warnings and civil emergency messages to give those in harm's way critical lead time to respond and remain safe. Such messages include tornado warnings, flood warnings, Amber Alerts, chemical spill notifications and many others.

"NOAA Weather Radio is a critical beacon that warns of potentially life-threatening weather and man-made events," said Brig. Gen. David L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), director of the NOAA National Weather Service. "NOAA Weather Radio is of value throughout the year. It is truly a gift that will keep giving."

NOAA, through its National Weather Service, is committed to improving severe weather forecasts and increasing the amount of lead time for warnings. However, this information is only effective when heard and when people can take the necessary precautions—making NOAA Weather Radio an essential item for every home and business.

NOAA Weather Radio features include:

• Tone Alarm: An Emergency Alert System tone precedes each emergency message to gain a listener's attention. This is especially critical when severe weather strikes at night when most people are sound asleep.
• Size: Units are small (about the size of a clock radio) and require little space on a nightstand or table.
• Battery Backup: Ensures continued service during a loss of electricity.
• Customization: Models featuring SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) technology can be programmed to sound only alerts for desired areas.
• Portability: Units can travel (vacations, relocations) and broadcast the signal received from the nearest transmitter—more than 900 transmitters cover most of the United States and its territories.

Receivers carrying the "Public Alert" logo meet certain performance criteria including, SAME, alert customization, battery backup and a connection for an external antenna.

"Public Alert" receivers and other select units also allow connections for external alerting devices for the hearing or visually impaired, which include strobe lights, pagers or bed shakers.

"More people with NOAA Weather Radio means more people receiving warning information and more lives and livelihoods that can be saved," added Johnson.

The NOAA National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. The NOAA National Weather Service operates the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system in the world, helping to protect lives and property and enhance the national economy.

NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources.

Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners and nearly 60 countries to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards

NOAA Storm Watch

NOAA National Weather Service

Media Contact:
Chris Vaccaro, NOAA National Weather Service, (301) 713-0622 ext. 134