STATEWIDE TORNADO DRILL APRIL 14 WILL UTILIZE LIVE CODES AND PUBLIC NOTICE SHOULD BEGIN BY APRIL 1
This year, Severe Weather Awareness Week will be observed in Colorado April 11-17. The National Weather Service will initiate a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday, April 14, between 9:00 a.m. and 11 a.m. using EAS and NOAA weather radios. The Colorado broadcasters have received a waiver from the FCC to participate in this exercise using the EAS. All broadcast facilities are urged to participate in this drill. The National Weather Service will be activating using the TOR code.
For radio stations, your EAS unit will activate and a message will be heard from the National Weather Service explaining that this is a test. For television stations, if you are set to pass on activations, a crawl will appear on the screen notifying viewers that this is a tornado warning. You will need to make your operators aware of this and be certain that you air the audio explaining that this is only a test. In addition, all stations are requested to publicize the test at least two weeks in advance so that the general public will understand that this event is a test to determine the readiness of EAS equipment and emergency radio receivers located in broadcast facilities, schools, hospitals and other public buildings. All EAS receivers and weather radios that are set to receive tornado codes should receive the drill message between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on April 14.
Marilyn C. Hogan
President and CEO
COLORADO BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION
This year, Severe Weather Awareness Week will be observed in Colorado April 11-17. The National Weather Service will initiate a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday, April 14, between 9:00 a.m. and 11 a.m. using EAS and NOAA weather radios. The Colorado broadcasters have received a waiver from the FCC to participate in this exercise using the EAS. All broadcast facilities are urged to participate in this drill. The National Weather Service will be activating using the TOR code.
For radio stations, your EAS unit will activate and a message will be heard from the National Weather Service explaining that this is a test. For television stations, if you are set to pass on activations, a crawl will appear on the screen notifying viewers that this is a tornado warning. You will need to make your operators aware of this and be certain that you air the audio explaining that this is only a test. In addition, all stations are requested to publicize the test at least two weeks in advance so that the general public will understand that this event is a test to determine the readiness of EAS equipment and emergency radio receivers located in broadcast facilities, schools, hospitals and other public buildings. All EAS receivers and weather radios that are set to receive tornado codes should receive the drill message between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on April 14.
Marilyn C. Hogan
President and CEO
COLORADO BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION