A local program launched in Butler County schools four years ago is going national with the distribution of 80,000 weather radios in school buildings.

The National Ocenaic and Atmopheric Administration, in a joint program between the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and local emergency management agencies, soon will be shipping weather radios to every public school in the country, according to Butler County EMA Director William Turner.

The mass distribution follows a pilot program conducted in two states and 20 urban areas last year and a local program launched in Butler County in 2002.

"NOAA weather radios play an important role in the safety of our children, schools and communities," Turner said.

The radios are designed to signal different types of alerts, ranging from weather emergencies to civil disturbances and from chemical accidents to acts of terrorism.

"The radio acts as a sentry, standing guard 24/7, to sound an alarm when danger threatens," Turner said.

In 2002, the Butler EMA placed weather radios in all local schools. With the federal distribution, Butler County schools will now have two weather radios.

"They can place the radios in different locations which, in turn, would help to increase the reaction time to warnings," Turner said.

The new weather radios have been scheduled for delivery directly to schools within the next week or so.

Each shipment will include a letter to the building principal and a brochure about the use of the radio.

In addition, the letter identifies the local Citizens Corps and EMA office as a resource in helping schools to program the radio, and to develop disaster and emergency response plans.

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