Saving Lives With Emergency Weather Alerts
You’ve heard the stories of people who barely escaped with their lives after getting an extreme weather alert.
Once in a while, that warning will come from a TV set or a standard radio. Or perhaps through a frantic call from a friend or loved one, or from a siren.
But more often, that alert comes through an emergency radio. Those alerts precede any media coverage of a weather emergency.
And sometimes, just those couple of minutes can make the difference between life and death.
More storms, greater intensity
You don’t need to be told that extreme weather events are becoming more and more common in America these days.
If you haven’t experienced one personally, you’ve certainly seen the resulting carnage on the news. It seems like every year, we establish a new record for the number of storms—such as hurricanes and tornadoes.
And it’s not just the number of storms. It’s their intensity. They are killing more people, displacing more people, and causing more structural damage than ever before.
That’s why it’s more important than ever to have dependable ways to receive weather alerts. They can save your life.
Cellphone alerts
Perhaps you’ve dealt with severe weather many times. Or maybe just a few times. Either way, it’s likely you’ll have to again before too long.
You can improve your survival chances by accessing reliable weather warnings. They come in a variety of forms, so let’s examine a few of them.
First is your cellphone. Most of the newer ones have the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) feature. It sends out a loud tone to warn you of an impending emergency.
Among those emergencies are tornadoes and hurricanes, plus thunderstorms and flash floods. As well as windstorms, dust storms, hazmat situations, and Amber alerts.
Weather app choices
There are a number of weather apps you can download onto your cellphone. They include Storm Shield, iAlert, AccuWeather, and The Weather Channel, as well as weatherUSA, ping4alerts!, and The Emergency Email & Wireless Network.
With Storm Shield, wherever you are, storm-based alerts are available. It does not use GPS, so it shouldn’t wear down your phone battery.
iAlert provides weather warnings via text or email. You can select the alerts you want for any of 30,000-plus U.S. cities.
Ping4alerts! delivers alerts regarding weather, traffic, and school closures, plus natural disasters, power outages, and more.
Weather radios rule
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio is also a great way to keep tabs on weather threats in your area.
These radios broadcast official National Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts, and other hazard information 24/7.
You can program your county’s six-digit code into this device. That way, it will sound a loud alarm when potentially dangerous weather is approaching.
Some of these weather radios allow you to choose which particular alerts you want to receive—and which you don’t.
Don’t turn off that TV
Sometimes, you may not have a working cellphone or weather radio handy. That’s when television news can help. It’s another way to gain information about extreme weather in your area.
Extreme weather warnings will scroll along the bottom of your screen, even during normal programming time.
And if the situation is dangerous enough, the networks will break into programming to issue warnings for certain areas.
Yes, your TV is also susceptible to power outages. But until that happens, keep it on to augment your other emergency weather information.
Don’t bet your life on a siren
Tornado sirens have saved lives. But it’s an emergency weather warning system you should NOT count on.
They often cannot be heard inside a home or business, which is probably where you’ll be during bad weather. So don’t depend on them.
Even outdoors, sometimes they can’t be heard—especially if the wind is strong against the direction where the siren originates.
And when there are power outages or equipment failures, the sirens might not even work. Other warning systems are usually more reliable.
Extreme weather can be devastating to life and property, but property can be replaced. Early warnings can help save lives.
Liberty Band Solar Radio
Earlier, I mentioned the importance of having a reliable weather radio. A NOAA weather radio is a great way to learn about—and avoid—threatening weather.
Having access to critical information is key to surviving in any emergency.
These radios broadcast official National Weather Service warnings 24/7, plus watches, forecasts, and other hazard information.
4Patriots has created the ultimate tactical information hub: the Liberty Band Emergency Solar Radio. This lightweight radio features NOAA weather alerts and recharges with the sun.
It has seven 24/7 weather channels, AM/FM and shortwave radio, an LCD display clock with an alarm, and an ultra-bright flashlight. It can even power your cellphone when you need it most.
Summer means hurricanes, tornadoes, and other severe storms. The Liberty Band will provide you with the advance notice you need to seek shelter.
Learn more about this weather radio here.
References:
- All testimonials in this advertisement are from real people; sometimes names and photos have been changed to protect their privacy and some were given free products in exchange for their honest feedback. Testimonials represent exceptional results, don't apply to the average purchaser and are not intended to guarantee that anyone will achieve the same results. The organizations, publications and people referenced on this site are not affiliated with 4Patriots. They have not endorsed, sponsored or recommended this product; no affiliation or endorsement is claimed. Terms & conditions apply. Cade Courtley is a former Navy SEAL and Platoon Commander who served 9 years of active duty and has been compensated by 4Patriots for his hard work in helping us test and endorse this product. Cade Courtley is a former Navy SEAL who served 9 years of active duty and has been compensated by 4Patriots for his hard work in helping us test and endorse products.
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