NOAA Weather Radios / Wireless Emergency Alerts

 Sauk County residents are encouraged to purchase a NOAA weather radio. These radios will alert you to severe weather conditions and can be used anywhere in the United States. Weather radios can be programmed to the location warnings you wish to receive. Weather radios have a battery backup in case of a power loss. NOAA Weather Radio / Ch. 162.450 for south central Wisconsin

How to Program a Weather Radio

Remember that tornado sirens are intended as outdoor warning devices!

A tornado siren is not intended to be heard inside a house or basement.

NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information from the nearest National Weather Service office.

NWR broadcasts official warnings, watches, and forecasts,24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

NWR also broadcasts alerts of non-weather emergencies such as national security, natural, environmental, and public safety through the Emergency Alert System.

NWR County Coverage Listings

Emergency Alerts

Public safety officials use timely and reliable systems to alert you and your family in the event of natural or man-made disasters. This page describes different warning alerts you can receive and the types of devices that receive the alerts.

Wireless Emergency Alerts

During an emergency, alert and warning officials need to provide the public with life-saving information quickly. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), made available through the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) infrastructure, are just one of the ways public safety officials can quickly and effectively alert and warn the public about serious emergencies.

What you need to know about WEAs:

WEAs can be sent by state and local public safety officials, the National Weather Service, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the President of the United States
WEAs can be issued for three alert categories – imminent threat, AMBER, and presidential
WEAs look like text messages, but are designed to get your attention and alert you with a unique sound and vibration, both repeated twice
WEAs are no more than 90 characters, and will include the type and time of the alert, any action you should take, as well as the agency issuing the alert
WEAs are not affected by network congestion and will not disrupt texts, calls, or data sessions that are in progress
Mobile users are not charged for receiving WEAs and there is no need to subscribe
To ensure your device is WEA-capable, check with your service provider

Emergency Alert System

The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), is a modernization and integration of the nation's existing and future alert and warning systems, technologies, and infrastructure.
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters, satellite digital audio service and direct broadcast satellite providers, cable television systems, and wireless cable systems to provide the President with a communications capability to address the American people within 10 minutes during a national emergency.
EAS may also be used by state and local authorities, in cooperation with the broadcast community, to deliver important emergency information, such as weather information, imminent threats, AMBER alerts, and local incident information targeted to specific areas.
The President has sole responsibility for determining when the national-level EAS will be activated. FEMA is responsible for national-level EAS tests and exercises.
EAS is also used when all other means of alerting the public are unavailable.