In order to help keep the public informed about the possibility of severe weather events and other potential dangers, the Starke County Emergency Management Agency will be supplying free weather alert radios today.
EMA Director Jay Nier shared that the radios were obtained through a grant from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. She said the priority people these are intended for are individuals who live in trailers, manufactured homes or low income housing.
She is starting out with 70 radios and they will be supplied on a first come, first served basis. No over-the-phone reservations will be allowed. They can be picked up between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. from the EMA Office, located at 108 N. Pearl Street in Knox.
If you’d like your radio programmed at the time of pick-up, you’ll need to supply three AA batteries yourself. One of the requirements of the IDHS grant is noting who gets the radios so when you receive one, you’ll need to provide your name, address and phone number.
FEMA representatives say that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radios supply instant access to the same weather reports and information utilized by meteorologists and emergency personnel.
National Weather Service officials report that in addition to weather messages, the NOAA Radios can transmit warnings of terrorist strikes, nuclear accidents, toxic chemical spills and 911 outages.
