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The purpose of these
procedures is to describe the type of systems used to warn
citizens of Watauga to a potential threat of safety and to
establish procedures for their use.
Outdoor Warning Sirens
– The City of Watauga has three (3) Outdoor Warning Sirens
that are designed to warn the public that an emergency
exists. Upon activation the siren will sound for three
(3) minutes. Citizens should seek shelter and monitor a radio or
television for essential information. These sirens are not
intended to be heard within a building or vehicle.
Alert Radio –
The National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio provides messages of current weather
conditions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Certain radios may
be set up to only alert for Specific Area Message Encoding
(SAME).
CodeRed® Telephone
Notification – This system is an Emergency Telephone
Notification that makes mass calls through the telephone
system to warn citizens of a potential hazard or special
message.
1670 AM Radio
– The City of Watauga utilizes an AM Radio System that can
transmit emergency messages, special instruction messages or
general information during non-emergency times.
Outdoor Warning
Sirens:
1. The on-duty Communications Officer will activate the
warning sirens upon
notification of one of the following:
a. National Weather Service
issued Tornado Warning for Tarrant County.
b. Tornado activity has been
reported in Tarrant County by a reliable
source (public
safety agency, storm spotter, etc).
c. Winds sustained in
excess of 60 MPH or greater.
d. Hail in excess of 1 inch
reported in the area by a reliable source.
e. At the request of a
City
emergency official.
2.
The system will be activated for three (3) minutes
and repeated as necessary.
3. The outdoor warning
sirens will be tested on the first Wednesday of each month
at 1 p.m., unless the weather conditions are heavily
overcast, rainy or anything
that may be considered
misunderstood for a severe weather event.
Alert Radio:
The National
Weather Service controls the alert radio system and provides
24/7 weather broadcasts.
CodeRed® Telephone
Notification:
1. The authority to activate
the CodeRed® Telephone Notification
System will
be the City
Manager, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Fire Captain and
Emergency
Management Coordinator/Fire Marshal.
2. The telephone
notification is primarily utilized for safety warnings of
all types. It
may be activated for a crime warning, an
evacuation or the threat of severe
weather.
3. If a message is sent
about shelter in place another message will be broadcast to
advise when the issue is clear and no danger exists.
1670 AM Radio:
1. The AM Radio will
normally broadcast:
a. NOAA Weather Radio
b. Radio Call Sign
c. Reminder of the monthly siren test
2. In the event of a disaster, 1670 AM
will broadcast information pertinent to the
situation or
special instructions for shelters, medical assistance or
other
necessities.
1. Upon hearing a
warning on NOAA weather radio or the Outdoor Warning Siren,
citizens should seek shelter; seek additional information
from Television News,
Weather Radio, or other radio station.
2. When a Warning Device
is activated, it is not advisable to go outside to view
cloud formation or current conditions. Tornado activity can
happen within a
matter of minutes.
All thunderstorms produce lightening.
Lightening accounts for an average of 93 deaths and 300
injuries every year. Don't be fooled! Lightening
can strike as far as 10 miles in advance of an approaching
storm.
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