ACTION 8 LIFESAVER RADAR: New tool that protects us all during severe weather

For years, thousands of people in our area have not had comprehensive radar protection to protect them from severe weather. The new Lifesaver Radar from Action 8 is changing that.

Action 8 Chief Meteorologist Shane Butler unveiled the new radar on Monday that will be part of our weather forecasts from now on.

We have been working on this project for about two years.

This new Climavision radar was recently installed near the Alabama-Mississippi state line to give you unprecedented coverage of severe weather in West Alabama.

The people of West Alabama have wanted this type of coverage for years. Although there has been a lot of talk about the problem, nothing has been done about it.

DETAILS OF THE LIFESAVER RADAR

• Livesaver Radar is exclusive to WAKA Action 8
• Lifesaver Radar is a complement to the already known government radars
• Lifesaver Radar has 10x resolution so you can see storms more clearly
• The Lifesaver radar scans deeper layers of the atmosphere, areas often missed by distant radars.
• The Lifesaver Radar is the first to detect storms coming from the west and warns everyone early

Even if you live in Selma, Montgomery or further east, you benefit from seeing the storms first.

NEW WEATHER PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LAW FIRM JOHNNY ADAMS

This new technology is not cheap. Our parent company, Bahakel Communications, LTD. of Charlotte, North Carolina, has made major investments to keep people in our area safe.

The Johnny Adams Law Firm has joined us as a partner to demonstrate their commitment to public safety. We could not have completed such a large project without them. We thank them for their support.

The Johnny Adams Law Office also provides support for Action 8’s Thunder Truck, our live weather camera network – which now includes a camera in Millbrook – and all severe weather coverage, including Safe from the Storm special reports and our Code Red weather alerts.

LIFE-SAVING RADAR: BUILT IN ALABAMA

Climavision radar systems like ours are being installed in radar gaps across the country. We are pleased to say that the radar equipment is built here in Alabama, at Enterprise Electronics Cooperation in Enterprise.

Enterprise Electronics Cooperation in Enterprise, Alabama, which built WAKA Action 8’s Lifesaver Radar – Photo by EEC

EEC has been in business since 1971, providing radar and satellite solutions to companies worldwide.

“The ability to bring together the information from the weather service and the data they provide and then use this hyperlocal technology to provide a comprehensive view just has an incredible impact,” said Tara Leigh Goode, vice president of strategic partnerships and radar operations at Climavision.

For us, that means using the hands of Alabama to save the lives of Alabama.

LOCAL LEADERS GRATEFUL FOR A SOLUTION TO THE STORM

Local authorities and emergency services are already expressing their gratitude after learning about Lifesaver Radar.

“This is a dream come true,” said Demopolis Mayor Woody Collins.

Collins said he and officials in his area have been calling for better radar coverage for years.

Kevin McKinney, director of the Marengo County Emergency Management Agency, says in the past tornadoes were missed and warnings were never issued. He says that will change with Lifesaver Radar.

“This means greater accuracy and earlier timing.”

DATA WILL BE SHARED WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

While Lifesaver Radar will only be seen on Action 8, we will share our data with the National Weather Service so they can create better warnings and alerts. This is the right thing to do to keep us all safe.

When you see National Weather Service warnings and watches, you know that our data allows for earlier and more accurate watches and observations. That’s another advantage of having radar to the west as storms move from Mississippi to Alabama.

Action 8 will be releasing more weather updates in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to learn how we are working to save lives here in our area.