NOAA weather radio emergency alert test Friday

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The County of Sonoma and the National Weather Service Bay Area are conducting an emergency alert test of NOAA weather radios on Friday, April 29, at noon. The test will be countywide for residents who own a NOAA weather radio. After the test, participants are encouraged to provide feedback on whether or not the test message was received by their radio.

”We encourage everyone in Sonoma County with a NOAA weather radio to participate in this exercise,” said District 4 Supervisor James Gore, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “Learning to use the tools you have at your disposal during an emergency can be life saving for you and your family.”

The alert will be sent at noon to all NOAA weather radios in Sonoma County. The warning alarm will sound one time, followed by a short test message and then a closing alarm tone. The test message will be transmitted as a Civil Emergency Message, and the words “Civil Emergency Message” may scroll across the visual displays of compatible radios. The radio test cycle will play through only one time. Device owners are encouraged to:

• Make sure the device is plugged in with backup batteries installed.
• Set up correctly per the radio manufacturer instructions.
• Ensure the radio is properly configured, additional instructions can be found in the video here: https://youtu.be/h8Rb500f8rw
• Provide feedback after the exercise by emailing info@socoalert.com or calling (707) 565-1369. Please include your location to help assess the range of the test alert.

The County and NOAA utilize the alerting function on weather radios to notify the public of imminent hazards or threats, including evacuations, tsunamis and flood warnings. The radio itself broadcasts continuous weather information directly from the National Weather Service offices across the country.

To prepare for an emergency, register for alerts or find your evacuation zone, visit: www.socoemergency.org/get-ready/.

For more information about the NOAA weather radio alert exercise visit: https://socoemergency.org/get-ready/events-exercises/#April-29-NOAA.

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Media Contact:
Sylvia Lemus, Communications Specialist
publicaffairs@sonoma-county.org
(707) 565-3040
575 Administration Drive, Suite 104A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403