NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 7, 2000

CARY FIRE DELIVERS FREE WEATHER ALERT RADIOS

CARY, NC – Inspectors with the Town of Cary’s Fire Department will, in the next few days, finish delivering alert weather radios at no cost to 49 Cary schools, day cares, and critical care facilities. These weather radios provide National Weather Service forecast information continuously, as well as, send out a special 85-decibel alarm tone to alert of a possible life-threatening situation such as an approaching tornado, hurricane, severe thunderstorm or flood. The tone is followed by a verbal broadcast with emergency information and specific protective action recommendations. The "one-time" distribution is part of a countywide project that kicked off in June sponsored by Wake County Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"We’re very happy to be able to bring this service to our community, especially before we might get another hurricane," said Cary Fire Chief Wayne House. "We believe that every home and business should have a weather alert radio the same way all structures should have a smoke detector." House also encourages people to take their radio with them when traveling, boating, or camping.

Weather radios can be purchased at many retail stores that sell electronic merchandise including stand-alone electronic retail outlets, electronics departments within department stores, and some drug stores as well as through some mail order catalogs. Residential models can vary from $20 to $200, depending on the model, and while many receivers have an alarm feature, some may not. The hearing and visually impaired can also get these warnings by connecting a specially-designed weather radio to other kinds of attention-getting devices like strobe lights, bed-shakers, personal computers and text printers.

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