#5951
Yesterday’s much publicized Emergency Alert System test of broadcast and cable stations did exactly what these sorts of tests are designed to do; it uncovered a number of problems in the system.
Anyone who has ever taken part in a major emergency exercise knows that things rarely go off without a hitch. Emergency drills are designed to be learning experiences and torture tests for equipment and procedures.
While it will take several months to analyze all of the data from the thousands of radio, TV, and cable outlets, anecdotal reports are coming in from across the nation indicating that in some areas the messages were garbled, static-ridden, or in a few cases missing all together.
In Denver, one TV station (KMGH) reported equipment failure due to the test (see news item National Emergency Test A Failure), and reports from Birmingham Alabama indicate that a number of radio and TV outlets failed to broadcast the message.
In Michigan many subscribers lost their cable connections or found their TV sets suddenly locked onto one channel. And in St. Louis, KMOX reported that the system sent multiple alerts and `doubled’ audio.
Broadcasters have 45 days to report problems with the test to the FCC. It will then take additional time to analyze these reports, and take corrective actions.
Late yesterday, Damon Penn, Assistant Administrator, National Continuity Programs at FEMA blogged on where the EAS system goes from here.
I’ve a few excerpts, but follow the link to read it in its entirety.
The Emergency Alert System Has Been Tested – What Next?
By: Damon Penn, Assistant Administrator, National Continuity Programs
(Editor's note: updated 6:30pm EST)
After years of hard work with all of our partners, and months of providing updates on this blog, today, FEMA, the FCC, NOAA and communications service providers, and many others administered our first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System. We are currently collecting data about the initial results, and it will take the test’s participants several weeks to send us the full results of their tests.
<SNIP>This nationwide test served the purpose for which it was intended – to identify gaps and generate a comprehensive set of data to help strengthen our ability to communicate during real emergencies. Based on preliminary data, media outlets in large portions of the country successfully received the test message, but it wasn’t received by some viewers or listeners.
<SNIP>
So now that the test has occurred, we know many of you may be wondering…what next?
Well, first, we’ll be spending the next few weeks gathering test result data from the test’s participants, and feedback from all of our stakeholders. Under the FCC’s rules, test participants have 45 days from the date of the test to analyze their data and provide a full report to the FCC on the scope and reach of the test. In the meantime, FEMA is also interested in hearing from any stakeholders who want to share feedback about how the test worked and ways we can continue to improve it. We encourage you to email us at ipaws@dhs.gov with any tips, suggestions or input you may have.
And looking ahead, this test was just the beginning of our much larger efforts to strengthen and upgrade our nation’s public alert and warning system.
Although a number of media outlets around the country are deriding this test as a `failure’, in truth, this test succeeded in showing where the system needs improvement.
While I’m sure the participants in this drill would have preferred to have encountered fewer glitches, the only true `failure’ would have been in not testing the system at all, and then relying upon it during a real emergency.
