Emergency Alert System Checkpoint

There's a good bit swirling around these days on the Emergency Alert System (EAS). A recent workshop provided a nice forum for airing some of the issues and concerns.

Some of the most vocal concerns came from broadcasters attending the FEMA-FCC EAS workshop recently. The broadcasters generally accept the fact they need to replace their EAS equipment with digital equipment that facilitates the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), the single language for transmitting messages. However, they don't like the time pressure. When the latest version of CAP is approved and authorized in the next couple of months or so, they'll have 180-days to replace their equipment.

Kelly Williams of the National Association of Broadcasters told workshop participants that 180 days is not enough time for 30,000 EAS participants to get equipment in place, particularly when there are only eight manufacturers. And, these manufacturers can't start selling until they are certified for CAP compliance by a FEMA laboratory. The laboratory says it's ready to start certifying, just waiting for the green light. Broadcasters say, still, not enough time.

A couple of people at the workshop also said the short window is going to make it tough to train people, both broadcasters and message originators, on how to use the new technology.

Good questions came from Henry Black of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. He was most concerned about the practical and operational aspects, like training, messaging, and the ever-important question about authority to activate. Who's going to have it? This will be even more important when the IPAWS program launches add-ons to EAS such a cellular broadcast alerting. (Yes, it's coming.)

Meantime, work is underway for a national exercise of the EAS system, something that's never been done before. FEMA and the FCC are shooting for some time in the first half of 2011 for the test. Antwane Johnson, Director of the IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System) program for FEMA, told the workshop that outreach will be a big part of the test effort. Not only will operators need to know what to do, the public will need to know what not to do. Imagine the panic that could develop when an EAS message, much stronger than the monthly tests people are accustomed to (and probably immune to), is issued across the country. Local public safety officials will need to pitch in to make sure their communities know about the test.

Look for a good bit of dialogue in the coming months on Henry's questions and the nationwide EAS exercise. IPAWS can be an important element of public safety, and if you get a chance, make your opinions known about how it should work.

All the best,


Rick