Senate Votes an Additional $5 million to Acquire NOAA Weather Radios for America’s Schools: The Senate on July 14 by vote of 96-1approved legislation to direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to procure $5 million worth of NOAA Weather All-Hazards Radio “on a priority basis” for distribution to America’s schools. The language was included in the
Pursuant to Congressionally mandated directives, DHS is funding an effort to provide public schools with NOAA Weather All Hazard Radios over which weather and DHS alert and warning information can be carried. DHS has been working closely with NOAA and the
Department of Education regarding this effort. This $500,000 pilot will soon provide for shipping about 8,000 radios to K-12 public schools in the top ten Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) cities and several states. Radios should begin to arrive in the schools by this September. After this pilot is complete, an additional $1.5 million will be made available by DHS in FY 06 for further radio dissemination. If enacted into law, the $5 million would represent new monies on top of the $2 million already allocated for the project.
Senate Votes an Additional $5 million to Acquire NOAA Weather Radios for America’s Schools:
The Senate on July 14 by vote of 96-1approved legislation to direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to procure $5 million worth of NOAA Weather All-Hazards Radio “on a priority basis” for distribution to America’s schools. The language was included in the
Senate Report 109-83, accompanying the FY ’06 Department of Homeland Security funding bill (HR 2360). The House mark did not provide the funds for radio, so this funding item will be subject to negotiations in the House-Senate Conference.
Pursuant to Congressionally mandated directives, DHS is funding an effort to provide public schools with NOAA Weather All Hazard Radios over which weather and DHS alert and warning information can be carried. DHS has been working closely with NOAA and the
Department of Education regarding this effort. This $500,000 pilot will soon provide for shipping about 8,000 radios to K-12 public schools in the top ten Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) cities and several states. Radios should begin to arrive in the schools by this September. After this pilot is complete, an additional $1.5 million will be made available by DHS in FY 06 for further radio dissemination. If enacted into law, the $5 million would represent new monies on top of the $2 million already allocated for the project.