AUGUSTA (AP) – The National Weather Service will add alerts about non-weather-related emergencies to its regular radio broadcasts in Maine, officials announced Monday.

Gov. John Baldacci signed a proclamation formalizing an agreement on the expanded role between the state and the federal government, whose National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oversees the weather service.

The weather service broadcasts continuous weather information on special frequencies through transmitters that now reach 95 percent of Maine’s population.

By early next year, Weather Radio broadcasts of weather warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information will also include information about non-weather emergencies, such as major fires, explosions or terrorist activity.

Marking Weather Radio Awareness Week, the weather service is encouraging people to buy radios tuned to Weather Radio frequencies. When turned off, they can be programmed to sound special alarms when warnings are issued.

Weather radios are available through outdoor recreation and electronics stores and over the Web. The weather service does not sell them.

AP-ES-12-01-03 1638EST