In 2004, Baltimore County placed hazard alert radios placed in public, private and parochial schools. You now know your children are taken care of if a significant weather event  should strike during the day, but how will you protect them at home? When minutes may be all you have, the purchase of a Hazard Alert Radio could make all the difference. Hazard alert radios, recently updated to provide specific area messaging to the public and private sector have greatly enhanced our ability to be ready for weather related events and even some civil emergencies. The radio pictured below allows the user to program specific areas of interest to the user. For example, you live in Northeast Baltimore County and work in DC. Codes for those two areas are available to you. You program the radio for both those areas and you know what to expect via the National Weather Service as soon as we do in the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.  If the radio is in voice mode, after eight seconds it automatically turns on the voice weather broadcast for five minutes. The alert message will be displayed until its effective time expires.
A "watch" tells you when and where severe weather is more likely to occur. Be observant of conditions. Stay tuned to know when warnings are issued. Watches are intended to heighten public awareness and should not be confused with warnings. A "warning" is issued when severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm. In addition to the radios, it is important that each of us have a plan that lays down exactly what we will need do to prior to an event occurring. Even seconds count! Know what to do, where to go and how to react before an event occurs. Good planning can make the difference. Practice the plan and update it as needed. Learn more about family disaster planning from the American Red Cross.  | | Revised August 25, 2008 |
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