June2013
Benefits of NOAA Weather Radio’s
The weather this time of year is a rough one on Michiganders that live, work, and play in the Southern half of the Lower Peninsula. With the weather change comes another dangerous time for us in this area…Severe thunderstorm and tornado season. May kicks off the tornado season for us here in southern Michigan, and late spring/early summer is the perfect time to take inventory of our emergency supplies for the upcoming severe storm season. Be sure to have a couple of working flashlights, extra batteries, some drinking water, some non-perishable foods, and a first aid kit. One item that many over-look is a NOAA Weather Radio…
NOAA weather radios are becoming a “must have” in today’s homes. They are the first line of defense that the average citizen can use to prepare themselves for inclement weather. They can be picked up at your local Radio Shack ($30-$60 depending on options) and are easy to set up and use. Many people think that tornado sirens are good enough, but many people don’t know how those are operated, and you would be surprised in the order that they are activated. Here is how it works…
Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, there are people that sit in a room in White Lake, MI and all they do is monitor the weather. (They do more, but I am keeping it simple) When the conditions are correct and the potential for a storm arise, they send out a signal notifying all of the threat, or potential threat. Any NOAA weather radio that is tuned to a specific frequency will alarm and notify the listeners what the threat is. Then, an email is generated that goes to the affected county or counties letting them know what the threat is. Then another email (Again keeping it simple) is generated that goes to the local radio stations, and local television stations.
Meanwhile, the county emergency dispatch centers receive the information, process it, then if the threat warrants an activation of weather sirens, a signal is sent out to those sirens. This entire process can take up to 5-8 minutes to complete. Sometimes due to the speed of a storm, the storm has already passed and the danger has already taken place.
Simply put, NOAA Weather Radios are the first to be notified. Other avenues are just as effective, they just take more time to disseminate the information. NOAA radios only alarm in the event of a warning, or watch. They are also tested weekly (Wednesdays between 10am-Noon) by the National Weather Service. Livingston County fire departments, Schools, Government buildings, and many smart residents have been using NOAA Weather radios for years. They are inexpensive, easy to operate, and are just as important as Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Alarms.
If you have any questions, or we may be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us during normal business hours at 810-632-7676. In addition, you can go to: NOAA for more information as well! -Mike Bernardin – Fire Marshal
