An Audacy Life-Saver Readies New Emergency Broadcast Studio

During Hurricane Katrina, the radio station’s broadcasts proved to be essential for the hundreds of thousands of impacted Louisianians seeking local information about the storm’s aftermath and its devasting flooding of New Orleans.

Nearly 17 years later, the Crescent City’s need for radio stations such as Audacy’s News/Talk WWL-AM & FM hasn’t waned. As such, Tuesday’s opening of a new emergency broadcast studio, which will see FEMA participation, is a vital one for the Bayou State’s biggest market.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be joining the Audacy Corp. radio station’s leadership in co-hosting the unveiling of an all-hazards upgrade to the “Primary Entry Point” facility at 9am Central tomorrow (6/28).

The modernization to the emergency studio, say FEMA and Audacy, “increases WWL’s resiliency to continue broadcasting under all conditions, including natural disasters and acts of terrorism.”

The WWL facility is one of 77 across the country that serve as a National Public Warning System Primary Entry Point (PEP) station, participating with FEMA to provide emergency alert and warning information to the public before, during and after incidents and disasters.

WWL becomes the 15th radio station in the nation to work with FEMA to complete the all-hazards upgrade, which includes increased sheltering capabilities, expanded broadcast capacity, and sustainable power generation for all types of hazardous events.

A live demonstration at the WWL PEP station emergency studio will be conducted following official remarks and a Q&A session, along with a facility tour for invited guests.

FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik Hooks will be on hand, as will IPAWS Program Manager Manny Centeno; Antwane Johnson, Director of FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System; Audacy/New Orleans SVP/Market Manager Kevin Cassidy; and Audacy SVP/Technical Operations John Kennedy.

The WWL auxiliary tower and NPWS site is situated on a rather forlorn residential street south of the Mississippi River on the edge of Algiers.