Press Release: 5/14/12

All-Hazards Alert Radios Can Save Lives

Springfield, Mo. – Severe weather can strike virtually without warning, taking lives and leaving a devastating path of destruction in its wake.  The EF-5 tornado that struck Joplin last year is a solemn reminder.  The Springfield-Greene County area is vulnerable to numerous types of severe weather, including tornadoes, floods and ice storms.

Early warning is vital to preservation of lives and property during such events.  With the National Weather Service’s technology and early notification systems, an all-hazards alert radio can provide families with enough warning to take necessary protective actions.

“Every second counts when an emergency is threatening your family,” says Springfield –Greene County emergency management director Ryan Nicholls, “these radios can wake you up in the night, and can be programmed to provide local warnings and information on what to do and where to go to protect yourself and your family.”

Storm sirens in some communities can warn people who are outdoors, but they are not designed to alert people inside buildings.  The all-hazards radios can alert families, businesses, faith based or civic organizations and other groups inside a facility.

The radios are available at a reasonable cost at many local retailers, including Radio Shack, Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Price Cutter. They can also be purchased from the American Red Cross.

“As soon as you purchase a radio, be sure you program it appropriately for your warning area and then test it,” says Nicholls, “we don’t want anyone to discover in the middle of a real emergency that their all-hazards alert radio is not working properly.  When they are programmed and used correctly, these radios can save lives.”

For more information on the all-hazards NOAA weather alert radios, visit www.smeso.org, or contact the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management at 417-869-6040.