Weather radio

Last summer, we had a night with severe storms. At one point that night, we lost power. I was concerned that we might have a tornado warning. We couldn't find a functioning battery-operated radio and we cannot not hear tornado sirens out here in the country, so we brought the kids downstairs, just to be safe. After that night, Bill and I had the brilliant idea that we should own a weather radio, so Bill asked for (and received) one for his birthday.

So now we own a weather radio. I hate that thing. First of all, it seems to have no idea that we reside in Ottawa County. The other night, it went off because there was a thunderstorm watch in the counties south of Kent and Ottawa counties. So it didn't affect us at all. Yet it went off. When it goes off, it is extremely loud and gets the kids all worked up. Awhile later, it went off again. There was a special marine warning over the lake. Last time I checked, we lived on dry ground, and a good 20 miles from the lake. So why was it going off?! About an hour after that, Ottawa County had a thunderstorm warning. And the weather radio...did nothing. Argh! So, when we have a warning that affects us it stays quiet. How exactly is this thing helping to keep us safe?

Bill found his wind-up radio and we are trying to keep that in a handy location, in case the power goes out during a storm this summer. Between his radio and my iPhone, we should be able to keep updated...since the weather radio seems to be dumb and possessed!