In March 1994, a telephone survey was conducted in west Tennessee to d
etermine the extent to which NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) is used by resid
ents of the region. Interviews were completed with 407 respondents for
an error rate of +/-14.86%. The data were subjected to tests of propo
rtions, contingency table, and chi-square statistical analysis. The st
udy revealed that 24.6% of west Tennessee households have NWR receiver
s, but only a third of those, or 8.1% of regional households, continuo
usly monitor the service. A test alert message was broadcast on NWR ju
st prior to the telephone survey. Based on the number of respondents w
ho acknowledged receiving the message, only 6.4% of west Tennessee hou
seholds can be expected to actually hear an emergency notification on
NWR. Thus, as a general public warning and emergency communication ser
vice its effectiveness is limited, particularly among citizens of lowe
r socioeconomic status. A fundamental problem appears to exist in the
way citizens with NWR receivers use the service. Most turn on their re
ceivers only when they already know severe weather is in their area. T
he research supports the view of NWR as communication technology with
a significant, though somewhat limited, direct niche audience. However
, it should be recognized that NWR is but one part of the family of wa
rning channels with which the public engages. Perhaps its most importa
nt function is not in direct warning to the public but in conveying wa
rning information to other mass media and emergency responders who inc
orporate numerous other technologies (commercial radio and television,
sirens, public address vehicles) to engage those in harm's way.