Severe weather can appear quickly in Wisconsin, making it important to have reliable ways of being alerted to changing weather conditions. Having an emergency weather radio in your home or office could save your life.
During NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Awareness Day, ReadyWisconsin is encouraging everyone to make sure they have a working weather radio in their home and a portable radio in their vehicle. These radios can provide a 24-hour source of weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and non-weather emergency information from the National Weather Service and its parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
“Having the ability to receive an early warning about danger in your area can help ensure you and your family can act quickly to take shelter,” said Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator Brian Satula. “By listening to the alerts broadcast on those devices, you have a much better chance of reaching safety during dangerous severe weather.”
NOAA Weather Radios operate with the help of the National Weather Service and the Educational Communications Board, which maintains the 28 NOAA transmitter stations around Wisconsin. “These partners provide a critical service when it comes to making sure the people in the state know when dangerous severe weather is in their area,” Satula said.
Weather radios come in many sizes, often have a variety of functions, and are typically battery-operated portables or AC-powered desktop models with a battery backup. They can be purchased at most electronic and home improvement stores. Portable weather radios are also an important item to take along when you are enjoying the outdoors. Many receivers can also be programmed to trigger an alarm only for hazardous conditions that affect the owner’s county.
Find more information on weather radios, including information on tower frequencies for your area, at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov/make-a-kit/get-a-weather-radio/.
Find additional tips on preparing for severe weather at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov. You can also follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ReadyWisconsin), Twitter (www.twitter.com/ReadyWisconsin) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/ReadyWisconsin).
