Preparedness

What is NOAA Weather Radio?

NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information direct from a nearby National Weather Service office. It broadcasts National Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day.

Working with the Federal Communications Commission's new Emergency Alert System, NWR is an "all hazards" radio network, making it the single source for the most comprehensive weather and emergency information available to the public. NWR now broadcasts warning and post-event information for all types of hazards - both natural (such as tornadoes and severe weather activity) and technological (such as chemical releases or oil spills).

Known as the "Voice of the National Weather Service," NWR is provided as a public service by the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. The NWR network has more than 450 transmitters, covering the 50 states, adjacent coastal waters, Puerto Rico, the U. S, Virgin Islands, and the U. S, Pacific Territories. NWR requires a special radio receiver or scanner capable of picking up the signal. Broadcasts are found in the public service band between 162.400 and 162.550 megahertz (MHz).

Where can I get a NOAA Weather Radio?

NOAA Weather Radio receivers come in a variety of sizes, styles and prices and can usually be found in electronics stores across the country.

How much does a NOAA Weather Radio cost?

NOAA Weather Radios range in cost from $25 up to $100 or more depending on the quality of the receiver and number of features.

What types of NOAA Weather Radio receivers are available?

NOAA Weather Radio receivers come in many sizes and with a variety of functions. Many radios can receive an alarm tone, triggered when the NWS issues severe weather announcements or emergency information. Most NOAA Weather Radio receivers are either battery-operated portables or AC-powered desktop models with battery backup, so they can be used in many different situations. Some CB radios, scanners, short wave and AM/FM radios are also capable of receiving NWR transmissions

What frequencies is NOAA Weather Radio broadcast on and how can I get a list of the frequencies in my state?

The seven NWR broadcast frequencies are: 162.400 MHz, 162.425

MHz, 162.450 MHz, 162.475 MHz, 162.500 MHz, 162.525 MHz, and 162.550 Wiz. NWR coverage is expanding through NWS partnership programs with local communities. For the latest list of frequencies and transmitter locations, check the NOAA Weather Radio web site -- http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr

Broadcast range from the weather radio transmitter is approximately 40 miles. The effective range depends on terrain, quality of the receiver, and indoor/outdoor antennas. Before you buy a receiver, make sure your area is covered by one of the transmitters.

What features should I look for in a NOAA Weather Radio?

There are several features to look for in a NOAA Weather Radio. The most desirable feature is an alarm tone. This allows you to have the radio turned on but quiet, listening for a special tone that is broadcast before watch and warning messages. During an emergency, National Weather Service forecasters will interrupt routine weather radio programming and send out a special tone that activates the NOAA Weather Radios in the listening area.

A new generation of NWR receiver allows you to pre-select the National Weather Service alerts you want to receive according to local geographic areas (counties or in some cases portions of counties). Look for NWR receivers with the SAME feature (Specific Area Message Encoding) which means the receiver is capable of turning itself on from a silent mode when the digital code is broadcast before the alarm tone is sounded for the geographic area you have pre-selected.

In addition, a good receiver should be able to operate on batteries during times when electrical services may be interrupted. Look for radios with an AC adapter and battery compartment. The radio should be tunable to all seven NWR frequencies. Some older models receive only three frequencies which will not work in all locations

I just purchased a NOAA Weather Radio with the SAME feature. Where can I get the Specific geographic code I need to program my receiver?

The National Weather Service will offer a list of the SAME codes available on the NWS website at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr. A toll-free number (I -888-NWR-SAME or 1-888-697-7263) can also be used by radio owners to get the SAME codes needed.

Can I get NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts in my car?

Several automobile manufacturers (BMW, Mercedes, Range Rover and Saab) equip their cars with radios capable of receiving NWR broadcasts. Several manufacturers of car radios (Audiovox, Clarion, and Panasonic) sell in-dash units capable Of receiving NWR broadcasts. Manufacturers of citizen band radios with NWR channels include Cobra, Maxon, Midland, Radio Shack and Uniden.

I live in an area where I can't get NOAA Weather Radio transmissions? Is there another system in place for me to get forecasts, watches and warnings directly from the National Weather Service?

The National Weather Service works in partnership with media outlets across the country to get the most current and accurate weather information to the public. Tune in to your local radio and television stations for the latest weather forecasts, watches and warnings. NWS products and services are also available on the Internet at http://www.nws.noaa.gov Delivery of data across the Internet, however, cannot be guaranteed because of potential interruption of service.

How can I help my community get NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts?

The goal of the National Weather Service and emergency preparedness agencies is to expand the reach of weather radio broadcasts to cover 95 percent of the U.S. population. Innovative partnerships between the NWS, private industry, and state and local governments are fueling this expansion. You can help foster such partnerships in your community. For more information concerning developing a partnership with the NWS, contact your local weather service office.

My NOAA Weather Radio often turns on when the forecast office issues watches and warnings that don't impact me. What can I do about that?

With the addition of the Specific Area Message Encoding technology, life-saving messages broadcast on NWR can now be targeted to a more specific area, like a county or portion of a county, to bring more hazard-specific information to the listening audience. While older models of weather radio receivers will continue to work, to take full advantage of the specific area warning technologies, you will need to get a state-of-the-art receiver with digital SAME capabilities for receiving geographically specific warnings.

I live in one County and work in another. Will the SAME programmable NOAA Weather Radio receivers be able to alert me for more than one county?

The capability to program the SAME-capable NOAA Weather Radio receivers for multiple counties is available on some NWR models. If this feature is important, be sure to check for its availability in whatever brand of SAME-capable receiver you look at.

Do you have a similar program for communication warnings to the hearing/visually impaired?

The hearing and visually impaired can also get these warnings by connecting a specially-designed weather radio to other kinds of attention-getting devices like strobe lights, bed-shakers, personal computers and text printers. Many pager companies now offer alerting- pagers that provide the latest weather information.

Where can those items be purchased?

Some NWR receivers have a connector on the back to control all sorts of remote control devices such as flashing lights, bed shakers or other attention-getting devices. Check with electronics stores, electronics catalogs or conduct an Internet search for more details. Pager companies can give you information on weather-related information products.

Digital Weather Alert Radio SAME All Hazard Alert NOAA Radio Reecom Radio Public Emergency Alert Radio

Generator Safety

Severe Weather Packet

Governor’s Proclamation
Michigan Committee for Severe Weather Awareness Contacts
Severe Weather Review Press Release
Michigan Tornado Chart
Current and Historic Tornadoes per County
Tornado/Thunderstorm Safety
Tornado Facts
Flooding Press Release
Flood Safety
Flood Facts
Flood Protection
Flood Insurance Information
National Weather Service Contacts
NOAA Weather Radio Dissemination
Michigan NOAA Weather Radio Coverage

The Michigan Committee for Severe Weather Awareness was formed in 1991 to coordinate public information efforts regarding tornadoes, lightning, flooding and winter weather. For more information, visit www.michiganweather.org.

Tornado Protection

Tornadoes cause heavy loss of life and property damage throughout much of the United States. Most schools and other public buildings include areas that offer some protection from this danger, and building administrators should know the locations of these areas.

Click the links below for more information.

Winter Weather Packet

In Michigan, fierce snow and ice storms that occur during winter months can create blizzard conditions, blinding wind-driven snow, ice coated trees and power lines, and dangerous wind chill, all of which can be hazardous to Michigan residents and pose serious travel risks. Overall, winter storms can immobilize a region, disrupt utilities and commerce, and even cause flooding.

Getting Ready for Disaster

Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness (IS-22) is FEMA’s most Cover of Are You Ready publication

comprehensive source on individual, family, and community preparedness. The guide has been revised, updated, and enhanced in August 2004 to provide the public with the most current and up-to-date disaster preparedness information available.

Are You Ready? provides a step-by-step approach to disaster preparedness by walking the reader through how to get informed about local emergency plans, how to identify hazards that affect their local area, and how to develop and maintain an emergency communications plan and disaster supplies kit. Other topics covered include evacuation, emergency public shelters, animals in disaster, and information specific to people with disabilities.

Click here for more information.
Watch an emergency kit instructional video.

A Family Preparedness Guide

The Michigan Emergency Management Division is the agency of state government charged with the responsibility for insuring the state and its local governments are prepared to deal with the disasters and emergencies that affect the state and its citizens.

Each day, hundreds of emergencies take place across the state. Occasionally, those emergencies will exceed the technical or logistical capacity of local government, and may require the assistance of the state and/or federal governments. It is EMD's job to coordinate the application of state and federal resources within Michigan to achieve the maximum benefit and to mitigate the damage and suffering in the shortest amount of time possible. EMD can't do that job alone - we have the assistance of over 15 Michigan state government departments, and several federal and private sector organizations

It is also up to the individual citizen of Michigan to be educated as to what kinds of disasters can reasonably be expected within Michigan, what measures the individual can take to mitigate the effects of such events, and what to do in the event of an actual emergency or disaster. This web site is here to help you with that task. In the event that you are affected by such an occurrence, you will be able to find out what kinds of assistance are available to you here as well.

Click here to download the informational packet.

Educational Resources

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NIMS Information

Entry Level First Responders & Disaster Workers:

EMS & Law Enforcement personnel

Firefighters

Public Health & Hospital personnel

Public Works/Utility & skilled support

Other EM response, support, volunteer personnel at all levels.

IS - 700: NIMS, An Introduction

ICS (IS) - 100: Introduction to ICS or equivalent*

First Line Supervisors:

Field Supervisors

Single Resource Leaders

Other response personnel that requires a higher level of ICS / NIMS training

IS - 700: NIMS, An Introduction

ICS (IS) - 100: Introduction to ICS or equivalent*

ICS (IS) - 200: Basic ICS or equivalent*

Middle Management:

Strike Team & Task Force Leaders

Unit Leaders

Division/Group Supervisors

Branch Directors

Multi-agency coordination system/emergency operations center staff

IS - 700: NIMS, An Introduction

IS - 800: National Response Plan

ICS (IS) - 100: Introduction to ICS or equivalent*

ICS (IS) - 200: Basic ICS or equivalent*

Command & General Staff:

Personnel with multi-agency coordination responsibilities

Area Commanders

Emergency Managers

Emergency Operation Center Manager

IS - 700: NIMS, An Introduction

IS - 800: National Response Plan

ICS (IS) - 100: Introduction to ICS or equivalent*

ICS (IS) - 200: Basic ICS or equivalent*

* Note: Please refer to the NIMS National Standard Curriculum Training Development Guidance, October 2005 to determine the equivalency of other courses to the ICS 100 & ICS 200.

Note: IS -700, IS -800, ICS / IS -100 & ICS / IS -200 may be completed online through the Emergency Management Institute's website at: http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/crslist.asp.

At a future date, EMHS will provide an Informational Letter to indicate FY 07 NIMS initiatives once DHS finalizes the requirements of NIMS/NIC Information.

For questions pertaining to training, contact Sgt. Mike Johnson at the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Training Center, 517-322-1708, or johnsonmw@michigan.gov. For inquires pertaining to other NIMS requirements, contact Jim Reardon at EMHS's Planning Section, 517-333-5017, or reardonj@michigan.gov.

Emergency Management Division

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Emergency Services Handbook Available

In 2006, Lapeer County Emergency Management and the County Press formed a partnership to publish and distribute the Lapeer County Emergency Services Handbook. This handbook contains a wealth of information about how to protect yourself and your family during emergencies and disasters. Some of the topics covered by the handbook include:

Developing Your Family Disaster Plan
Assembling A 72-Hour Family Survival Kit
Thunderstorms and Lightning
NOAA Weather Radios
911 Information
Tornadoes
Winter Storms
Dealing With Flood Waters
Insuring Against Disasters
Hazardous Materials
West Nile

For a copy of this handbook, please contact Mary Stikeleather.

NOAA Weather Radio (Click here to hear a sample NOAA message)