Weather Radio_1Are you ready for severe weather or other types of hazards that could threaten your safety?  In conjunction with “Severe Weather Preparedness Week” which runs from March 15th thru March 21st, the Marshall County Emergency Management Agency, in partnership with the Marshall County Amateur Radio Club, will be distributing NOAA Weather/All Hazard Alert Radios to individuals that would benefit the most from receiving advanced warning information, such as those folks that live in mobile and modular homes, homes without basements, the elderly, or citizens with special needs.

The event will be held Wednesday, March 18, 2015 from 10:00am until Noon at the Marshall County Emergency Management Office located at 112 W. Jefferson Street Room 207 in Plymouth.  The radios are FREE, but there is a limit of one per individual.  This giveaway will be on a first come-first severed basis, and we have a very limited supply.  We will also have volunteers available to program the radio for you if you wish.  However, you will need to purchase and bring three (3) double A (AA) batteries with you if you would like to have it programmed.

These radios will alert you to severe and potentially deadly weather situations giving you time to take emergency action to protect you and your family.

In addition to receiving weather warning information from the National Weather Service Forecast Offices, the NOAA Weather/All Hazard Alert Radios are capable of receiving other types of warning information issued by the Department of Homeland Security, as well as messages from local and state Emergency Operations Centers.

NOAA Weather/All Hazard Alert Radio is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the National Weather Service office in Northern Indiana.  The National Weather Service broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Specific Area Message Encoding Technology (S.A.M.E.) allows the radio to be programmed to filter National Weather Service broadcasts of warnings and emergency alerts for a selected geographic area.

If you would like additional information on severe weather preparedness or preparing for any other types of hazards that may occur in Marshall County, please contact the Marshall County Emergency Management Agency at 936-3740.

Remember:  Disaster preparedness is everyone’s responsibility.