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FIPS Codes
1. 045001 |
"Our goal is to someday have a NOAA Weather Radio in every home, just like a smoke detector, and in all public schools,
hospitals and other public gathering places. NOAA Weather Radios give people the information they need to safeguard
themselves and their home before, during and after a disaster." Dr. Elbert W. Friday, Jr. former Director, National Weather Service |
What you should know about Weather Alert Radios
A few years back, weather radios were pretty simple. If you were within range of the National Weather Service transmitter, you could receive an up to the minute weather report and reports of dangerous weather conditions in the area covered by that transmitter. Since then, weather radios have been improved to also alert you when dangerous weather conditions are present. The system has also been broadened to include other threats besides weather, including earthquakes, fires and toxic and chemical spills among others. Here is what you need to consider when purchasing a weather alert radio:
Alert Selectivity: The least expensive weather radios generally have alarm or alert capability. They are radios that can be tuned in to listen to the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast. The more advanced alert radios come in two types: Standard alert radios and S.A.M.E. alert radios. A standard alert radio, when in alert mode, will sound an alarm whenever your NWS broadcasts an alert. Since an office can cover a lot of ground, you may find yourself receiving a lot of alerts that don’t concern you. This can get pretty old when an alert about a storm 60 miles away sets off an alarm that wakes you up in the middle of the night. The S.A.M.E. radios can be programmed on a county by county basis to only alarm when there is a concern in your immediate area. If you are in a stormy part of the country and want to leave the alert capability turned on, S.A.M.E. is worth the money and the effort to program.
Power: Some weather radios plug into the wall. Check to see if they also have a battery back up. A weather radio that doesn’t work during a power failure is all but useless. Some radios only run on batteries. If you leave those on in alert mode too long, the batteries will die. They should not be considered for long term alert monitoring. Some portables can run on both, but may not come with an AC supply.
Portability: Consider whether you are planning on leaving your alert radio on the table, or if you will be taking it with you on a regular basis. If you ever want to take it to work, on vacation or just to another room, you may want to get a portable model and just leave it plugged in on the nightstand most of the time. Some portables are also weather resistant for boating, camping, hiking, etc.