Rain taps the lab windows, and Rocket is pinning cards to a board labeled Station Rooftop Safety Plan.
"Thunder: indoors," he reads. "Tornado warning: safe spot. Hurricane watch: 48 hours to get ready."
Raven adds a card about flooding. "What do you notice about all these rules?"
Rocket studies the board. "They are all short. And none of them say to go look at the storm."
Nova scans the board and highlights one empty corner. "What is missing?" she asks.
"How we hear the alert," Rocket says slowly. "And who does what. The plan needs people in it."
"Then this weekend," Nova says, "your family writes the plan."
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards is a nationwide network of more than 1,000 transmitters. It broadcasts official warnings, watches and forecasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Wireless Emergency Alerts are emergency messages sent to mobile phones through the carrier. No signup is required.
They are sent for tornado warnings, hurricane warnings, flash flood warnings when the threat is considerable, and other hazards.
Your family plan should answer four questions. How will you get alerts, where will you shelter, what is your evacuation route, and how will you reach each other?
| Week review | True or false? |
|---|---|
| A thunderstorm needs moisture, unstable air and a lift. | ? |
| A watch means a tornado is on the ground right now. | ? |
| A hurricane has sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or more. | ? |
| It is safe to go back outside as soon as the rain stops. | ? |
| Wireless Emergency Alerts require you to sign up. | ? |
Next week the course turns to oceans and currents, and how they shape the climate of whole regions.
Excellent week, safety leader. Tomorrow is Station Day: your family writes its plan together.