[LeArc] Weather radios will carry more kinds of alerts

[Duane Whittingham]

Weather radios will carry more kinds of alerts
By Traci Watson
USA TODAY

06/18/04


WASHINGTON -- People across the nation now can learn quickly about
emergencies ranging from tornadoes to terrorist attacks by owning a 
radio that broadcasts weather information, federal officials said 
Thursday.

Weather radios have alerted listeners to natural emergencies such as 
floods and storms, but now the radios will also broadcast alerts about 
man-made emergencies such as chemical spills, breakdowns in the 911 
calling system and missing children.

The Department of Homeland Security will also use the radio network to
notify the public of terrorist attacks and a change in the color-coded
national threat level.

The broader role for weather radios is the result of an agreement 
signed Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security and the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a branch of 
the federal government that oversees the National Weather Service and 
operates the emergency network that broadcasts messages to weather radios.

The agreement ''serves to strengthen our ability to protect Americans 
from both man-made and natural disasters,'' said Reynold Hoover of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Here's how it works: If a factory emits toxic chemicals into the air, 
the radios in nearby counties will sound a loud tone, even if the 
radios aren't switched on. The tone will be followed with information 
about the emergency and instructions on what to do. Warning systems 
for the deaf can shake a bed or transmit a message to a printer.

Alerts, if necessary, can be broadcast across regions or nationally. 
For instance, a problem at a nuclear power plant that could spread 
radiation a long distance could prompt an alert to several states.

Before Thursday's agreement, the NOAA network offered only spotty 
coverage of man-made hazards such as oil and chemical spills.

Now the network ''is going to be automatically part of the national
response to alerting the public to dangers,'' said Conrad 
Lautenbacher, the head of NOAA.

Fifteen percent to 20% of Americans own a weather radio. Ownership is
higher among people living along the coasts and in tornado-prone 
states such as Oklahoma.

Weather radios generally cost $35 to $70 and are sold by electronics 
shops, department stores and big retailers. There are many brands, but 
most include the words ''All-Hazard Radio'' or ''Weather Radio'' on 
the packaging.

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