Warning Alarm and EAS (SAME) Activation

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio warning alarm and activation of the Emergency Alert System (EAS), also known as SAME (Specific Area Message Encoder), may occur for the following events:

  1. High Wind Warning
  2. Marine Storm Warning
  3. Flood Warning
  4. Flash Flood Watch and Warning
  5. Tidal Flood Warning
  6. Winter Storm Warning
  7. Blizzard Warning
  8. Severe Thunderstorm Watch and Warning
  9. Tornado Watch and Warning
  10. Tsunami Watch and Warning
  11. Volcanic Activity including Lahars
  12. Enemy Attack
  13. Nuclear Accident
  14. AMBER Child Abduction Alerts
  15. Dam Failures
  16. Secondary Hazards From Terrorism or Earthquakes
  17. Other Hazardous Events including Chemical Releases
    (In cooperation with local emergency management officials)

NOTE: EAS is activated for immediate life-threatening events only. If the event has been publicized in advance, such as a flood or weather watch, EAS is not normally activated unless the threat to life is quite high. EAS is activated for "major flood" category events and "high impact" major wind events.

For "EAS-Type" programmable Weather Radios, the list of county codes for your radio is available from the Washington State Association of  Broadcasters.

Tests of the NOAA Weather Radio Warning Alarm are conducted every Wednesday around mid-day, unless significant weather threatens at that time.

Click here to listen to a recording of the Emergency Alert System test message (in Windows Media Player format).

NOAA Weather Radio is also used to conduct the statewide monthly required EAS (SAME) test each September.

For more information, go to:

 

CONTACT

Public Education Program at Public Education@emd.wa.gov

© Copyright 2011 Washington Military Department - Emergency Management Division