Dec. 20, 2004

What do you get for the person who has everything?

It may not be on your loved-ones' holiday gift list, but consider giving a gift that could be a life-saver for your family. A Tone Alert All-Hazard radio costs less than a pair of new shoes and would fill an important gap in most people's emergency prepared efforts.

"King County has made the installation of Tone Alert All-Hazard radios a priority in our region," said Eric Holdeman, Director, King County Office of Emergency Management. "In 2001, we provided a Tone Alert radio to every school in unincorporated King County. This year, we have installed Tone Alert All-Hazard radios in almost every King County facility. We are making the safety of our employees and visitors an absolute priority and I encourage everyone to take up the charge of preparedness by gifting your family members with a Tone Alert All-Hazard radio this holiday season."

Why are Tone Alert All-Hazard radios the perfect gift? Here's why:

How will you know if there is an emergency threatening your family at 2 a.m.? Your Tone Alert All-Hazard radio notifies you if there's an emergency by providing the most comprehensive weather and emergency information available to the public. It will sit quietly on your desk or nightstand until an alarm is sounded. You do not have to worry about having your TV or AM/FM radio turned on to hear emergency alerts.
The radio broadcasts warnings and information for all types of hazards, from weather, technological, and natural hazards to national emergencies.
Emergency Alert System messages automatically trigger the Tone Alert All-Hazard radio, sending important public safety information to people when they are home, at work, or in school. This area of the country was the first to implement the linking of the EAS system to Tone Alert All-Hazard radios.
Want to know if the mountain passes are safe to travel through this weekend? Turn on your radio for the local pass conditions report.
Interested in helping ensure the safety of missing children? Tone Alert All-Hazard radios will supply you with important "Amber Alert" broadcasts.
Not concerned about high winds in the Strait of Juan de Fuca? Tone Alert All-Hazard radios employ "SAME" digital programming technology, making any hazard information you receive specific to your county.
Do you work in a surrounding county, but live in King County? Want to know what's going on in the area around your workplace or school? Program your radio to receive hazard information for the areas you are specifically interested in.
Tone-Alert All-Hazard radios even come in unique versions for people with special hearing needs.
The signal level of King County is highly reliable. There are no worries about not picking up a signal when you really need it.

"Every morning when I shave, I turn on my Tone Alert All-Hazard radio to get the weather and other reports, and I'm comforted by the knowledge that the radio will let me know when a disaster happens so I can protect my family," said Holdeman.

Tone Alert All-Hazard radios are as essential for the home and workplace as smoke detectors and it is King County's goal to make them just as common. Help make that happen by giving the gift of preparedness this holiday season!

Radios can be purchased locally from electronic stores, as well as through online retailers. To find out more about Tone Alert All-Hazard radios, visit http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/geninfo.htm (external link).