Missouri City News

Missouri City Tunes In to New Emergency AM Radio Station

When emergencies happen, Missouri City residents will soon be able to turn their radio dials to a City station and hear up-to-the-minute reports.

At its June 7 meeting, City Council approved the purchase of the Radio Station with an uninterruptible power supply from Information Station Specialists, Inc. of Zeeland, Michigan, for $44,895. A number on the AM dial has not yet been established.
The station would transmit traffic updates, emergency weather bulletins, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) weather information and other types of emergency communications for the Missouri City area.

“After seeing a need for this service following Hurricane Ike, when all types of public information outlets were inoperable, including the internet, telephone and cell phones, the City realized that we could still put out emergency information by radio when all other sources were down,” said John Sheffield, Missouri City’s Division of Emergency Preparedness Chief.

In case of a similar situation in the future, the low-power AM radio station would be accessible to the public via a hand cranked or battery-powered radio, providing the City with another avenue to share important emergency messages with residents.

When the new station becomes available, signs will be installed along major roadways in the City to encourage residents to tune in. The radio station will give the City’s Emergency Operations Center the ability to provide information and instructions during amber alerts, flash floods, hurricanes and other disasters.

During daily broadcasts, the station will provide important details on street repairs and traffic hazards. More than 35 low-power AM Radio stations are currently operating in Texas, including one by Fort Bend County.

“These stations are a critical part of the emergency notification system in jurisdictions across the country, including in Stafford, Fort Bend County and Harris County,” Sheffield said.