The u, v, w of NWR: Keeping Our First Warning System Our Best

The 1,031 transmitters of the NOAA Weather Radio Network (NWR) continue a 50-year legacy: broadcasting free, official, 24/7 life-saving warnings to millions of Americans. In Omaha, Nebraska 38% of survey respondents use a weather radio. A Kentucky county erected its own NWR transmitter and distributed thousands of radios to county residents. FEMA sent containers of emergency crank radios to powerless Puerto Rico. Yet for every step forward there can be steps back when citizens, counties or states fail to take advantage of what this official federal warning system offers. This talk focuses on the 3-dimensional momentum of NWR for better or for worse, and highlights the importance of multi-faceted partnerships to spread the message: NOAA Weather Radio Saves Lives!