[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 54 (Friday, May 3, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E714]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PROJECT COMMUNITY ALERT WEEK, MAY 6-12

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DENNIS MOORE

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 2, 2002

  Mr. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of a Kansas City 
metropolitan area initiative called the Project Community Alert Week, 
May 6-12, 2002.
  As the co-chair of the Congressional Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus, I 
am pleased to see that the old Mark Twain adage is no longer true: 
rather than ``everyone talking about the weather and doing nothing 
about it,'' the Kansas City Metropolitan Emergency Management Committee 
(MEMC) and Price Chopper grocery store have created a multi-year 
program called Project Community Alert (PCA) which has the goal of 
placing 100,000 alarm-equipped programmable emergency weather radios in 
homes, schools and businesses throughout the eight-county MEMC area. 
The metro area emergency management coordinators will be taking the PCA 
message to the public, while Price Chopper is providing the radios at 
cost and is significantly underwriting the public outreach for the PCA 
Program.
  All 50 states are vulnerable to the hazards of windstorms. Losses in 
life and property can be substantial. Tornadoes are one of nature's 
most violent storms. In an average year, 800 tornadoes are reported 
across the United States, resulting in 80 deaths and over 1,500 
injuries. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous 
destruction with wind speeds of 250 mph or more. Damage paths can be in 
excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. The May 3, 1999, tornado in 
the Wichita, Kansas, suburb of Haysville rated F4 and was responsible 
for 6 deaths, 150 injuries and over 140 million dollars in damage.
  Current federal spending, approximately $5 million, to develop and 
promote knowledge, practices, and policies that seek to reduce and, 
where possible, eliminate losses from wind related disasters, is 
woefully inadequate. A federal investment in wind hazard reduction will 
pay significant dividends in lives saved, decreased property damage, 
and reduced federal disaster relief costs.
  For this reason, on December 20, 2001, Representative Melissa Hart 
(R-PA) and I introduced the Hurricane, Tornado, and Related Natural 
Hazards Research Act to reduce extensive damage caused by hurricanes, 
tornadoes and other windstorms.
  In the meantime it is very important to have proactive community 
programs like Project Community Alert. The Kansas City Metropolitan 
Emergency Management Committee (MEMC) and Price Chopper grocery store 
should be heralded for their proactive concern for their community. The 
PCA is a great example of the local community utilizing their resources 
to mitigate loss of life and keep their neighbors safe. They truly are 
``doing something about the weather.''

                          ____________________