"We were recently briefed on the NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] Weather Radio system and its capability to get warnings to the public for all hazards, including terrorist attacks. We think NOAA's system should be expanded to deal with homeland security," wrote Boehlert and Hall.

The Members urged Secretary Ridge to add NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) receivers as an emergency preparedness kit item and consider promoting the system on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website. In addition, they expressed their support for the President's fiscal year 2004 budget request to upgrade the current NWR system to provide local emergency management officials an authenticated, secure, electronic method to send non-weather emergency messages on NWR.

They stated, "The Committee on Science recognizes that science and technology are keystones of national security and improving technology is critical. While local emergency managers can use NOAA Weather Radio to broadcast non-weather emergency messages for hazards such as chemical spills and civil emergencies, the process requires manual intervention and can be time consuming." A copy of the letter is attached to this release.

NOAA Weather Radio is a nationwide radio network, run by NOAA's National Weather Service. Operated directly from government facilities, NWR transmits into the homes of the American public through commercially available receivers and can be programmed to self-activate, so they can alert the public to impending threats anytime day or night. NWR has been successfully alerting communities to natural disasters for the past three decades, and has recently developed into an all-hazards warning system, which can broadcast a wide range of vital updates, including AMBER Alerts and terrorist attacks.

Boehlert and Hall also held a press conference today, with other members of the Science Committee, NOAA Administrator Ret. Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, and industry representatives, to increase public awareness of the technology.

"Up to the minute warnings on NOAA Weather Radio helped many families seek shelter from the record breaking tornado systems that recently plagued the nation's mid section," said Lautenbacher. "Coordination between the network of NOAA forecasters, quick acting emergency managers and the broadcast media provided extremely timely warnings."

Environment, Technology and Standards (ETS) Subcommittee Chairman Vern Ehlers (R-MI) noted, "Weather emergencies can strike any part of the country at any time. Just last week NOAA Weather Radios were crucial in alerting residents of Marquette, Michigan to a mandatory evacuation of the town due to a severe flood. This was very early in the morning, at 6:00 am, when many people were still asleep and only learned of the flood through their Weather Radio."

"NOAA Weather Radio is yet another way in which NOAA can contribute to our homeland security. From NOAA's Space Environment Center, which works closely with the Air Force to ensure accurate GPS readings, to NOAA's Profiler Network, which provides wind data for the prediction of the probable path of harmful substances that may be released into the atmosphere, NOAA is already working on many homeland security fronts. It makes sense for NOAA to expand its weather radio system to get non-weather emergency messages to local emergency managers and the public," said ETS Ranking Democrat Mark Udall (D-CO)

Representative Frank Lucas (R-OK) stated, "My congressional district is in the middle of 'Tornado Alley,' so I've seen firsthand the injuries and loss of life that can occur when residents aren't aware that a storm is coming. This month alone, more than 100 Oklahomans have been injured in tornadoes and windstorms. I'd like to see these radios become as prevalent in Oklahoma homes as smoke detectors. When severe storms hit our state, they could be the difference between life and death."

"As the Representative of communities who have been devastated by hurricanes in the past, I know how important the 24-hour radio network can be. I wanted to come out today and show my support for this system and encourage the public to use it, it could save their life," said Rep. Nick Lampson (D-TX). "The radio is vital to those living in Southeast Texas due to the hurricane threat but it is also an important part of the Amber Plan. Amber Alerts are sent out over this system and the more people that have it, the better for our children."

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