NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) weather radios are the first line of defense for weather and civil emergencies. Large numbers of people are automatically notified and lives are saved because of the timeliness of the warnings.

Red Light Warning

When the National Weather Service (NWS) issues a warning, a code is transmitted to the radio, which activates the tone alarm. This causes the red light to flash, displays a text message describing the warning and initiates an audible message. Once the broadcast message ceases, the red light stays on until the warning has expired.

Weather Warning

According to NOAA, a "warning is issued when a hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, is imminent or has a very high probability of occurring. A warning is used for conditions posing a threat to life or property." A broadcast message will state the nature of the warning and what immediate action is necessary, whether to take shelter or to flee the area.

Civil Warning

The NOAA weather radio also notifies the public of AMBER alerts, chemical spills, technological and natural hazards, and other emergencies that pose a threat to life or property. These warnings will activate the radio in a similar way as the weather warnings.

Programming

It is important to program your NOAA weather radio to alert you for events in your surrounding area. Radios that are not programmed tend to be ignored because the alarm sounds when you are not affected.

Attention Getting Devices

For people with special needs, NOAA weather radios can be connected to strobe lights, pagers, bed shakers, computers and text printers.

Source:

All Hazards NOAA Weather Radio

NOAA Weather Radio Receiver Consumer Information