[InHam] Severe Weather Awareness Week Reminder

[David Pifer - N9YNF]

Governor Mitch Daniels has proclaimed March 5 -11, 2006 as Severe 
Weather Preparedness Week in Indiana. A statewide test of 
communications systems and preparedness drills will be held on 
Wednesday, March 8th between 10:00 AM and 10:30 AM EST and 
again between 7:00 PM and 7:30 PM EST.

The National Weather Service will be working in conjunction with the 
Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Indiana State Police, 
Indiana Department of Education, Indiana Department of 
Transportation, American Red Cross, broadcast media and amateur 
radio operators.

The goals of Severe Weather Preparedness Week are to educate 
about the hazards of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, to help 
everyone be prepared when severe weather strikes, and to have an 
understanding of severe weather terms and tornado safety rules. 
Daily statements will be issued on news wires and NOAA Weather 
Radio All-Hazards during the week. Your local National Weather 
Service office will be available for interviews or questions.

Two Drills will be conducted on Wednesday, March 8th, with each 
drill consisting of a Test Watch issued by the Storm Prediction Center 
and disseminated by local National Weather Service offices serving 
Indiana, and then Test Warnings issued by National Weather Service 
offices serving Indiana.

The first test watch will be issued around 10:00 A.M. EST, with test 
warnings then issued before 10:30 A.M. EST. The second drill will 
duplicate the first drill, with a test watch issued around 7:00 P.M. EST 
and then warnings following before 7:30 P.M. EST.

The test watch and test warnings will be distributed through the 
National Warning System (NAWAS), the NOAA Weather Wire Service, 
news wire services, and broadcast live on NOAA Weather Radio All 
Hazards (NWR) using the Tone Alert and Emergency Alert System 
(EAS). Cable television, broadcast television stations, and radio 
stations should either simulcast the test messages from NWR or EAS, 
or have the test messages read by radio and television 
broadcasters.Please note, for EAS, NWS offices will use the RWT 
(Required Weekly Test) or RMT (Required Monthly Test) codes to 
transmit the test watches and warnings, not the TOR code. To ensure 
receipt, make sure your EAS equipment can accept both the RMT and 
RWT codes from the NWS.

If weather postpones the tests, the make-up drill day is Thursday, 
March 9th.

If you have any problems with the drill (e.g. you did not hear the tone 
alert or the broadcast), contact your local National Weather Service 
office immediately.

--
  David L. Pifer - N9YNF
  Indiana Section Emergency Coordinator
  6083 N. Clinton St.
  Terre Haute, IN 47805-1507
  Home: (812) 466-1005    Work: (812) 237-2923
  n9ynf at arrl.net   http://www.pifer.us/david/

  Amateur Radio Emergency Service and ARES are
  registered Trade Marks of the American Radio Relay
  League, Inc. and is used with permission.
  http://www.arrl.org    http://www.inarrl.org
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