Southeast/ Long Beach : HELP IS IN THE AIR
Lakewood residents won’t be hearing talk shows or drive-time disc jockeys on LKWD 1620 AM, but when disaster strikes, they might hear information that could save their lives.
City officials recently launched the 10-watt radio station to serve as a lifeline to the city’s 74,000 residents in case of an emergency such as an earthquake or flood. Listeners will be able to obtain information about where they can get medical assistance, find shelter and get food and water.
Even in these relatively peaceful times, the station is operating 24 hours with recorded information about city services, road closures and other day-to-day concerns. Although it is a low-power station, officials say 10 watts is sufficient to cover Lakewood’s 9.5 square miles.
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