Following last week’s tornado warning, this is a perfect time to discuss weather notification systems. If you didn’t receive notifications on your phone or weather radio, or your notification relies on an outdoor warning siren (OWS), it is time to get serious and adapt to keep your loved ones and yourself safe. We will address OWS first and then detail reliable options for staying informed.
OWS should never be your only notification source for a tornado warning. If it is, you are subjecting yourself to the risk of injury or death. OWS are intended to warn people who are outside to seek shelter. It is not designed to warn people who are indoors. This is especially true for a tornado warning at 4:15 a.m. when few are awake and outdoors. We know through extensive social science studies that people seek at least three sources of information to val-idate threats. This is why the OWS is just one tenet of the weather alerting system, not a sole notification source.
Every home should have a NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio. A NOAA radio doesn’t rely on internet or cell phone towers. Instead, it operates on dependable radio waves. The NOAA radio activates whenever a warning is issued and emits a loud alarm followed by the warning. The emphasis is that they are LOUD. If you can sleep through a weather radio activation, you should probably contact an audiologist. The NOAA radio is relatively inexpensive, plugs into the wall, and also has battery backup in case of a power outage. Programming a NOAA radio can be cumbersome, but emergency management will program your radio for you. Call us at 620-583-5045 to set up an appointment to program your NOAA radio.
Another great source of notification is in your pocket or sitting beside you right now: your cell phone. Most weather apps will alert you of weather warnings in your location and the National Weather Service uses Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) for tornado and flood emergencies. On your phone, WEA’s alerts sound identical to an Amber Alert and the warning will activate based on your location. Locally, the county provides Greenwood County Alerts for residents to stay informed and alert through Genasys. Those who sign up for the service will receive weather warnings and emergency messages from local officials. The alerts can go to cell phones, emails, and landlines. The combination of these services, along with TV and radio, will create a robust personal weather notification system.
If you have questions or need assistance with any of these services, please let us know. We are here to help our residents become weather aware and implement measures to protect your family and pets.
