[BC] EAS in Senate

Sat Nov 5 07:46:01 CST 2005

Sorry Jerry,

I misunderstood the "Waste of money" comment.

Understand Wayne Hart the technical head of the network is trying several 
different things to make it more viable and to make it more compatible with 
multiple alerting streams.

They have been doing this with in essence 'Borrowed money" or "found money" 
or by discussing possibilities with understanding vendors who may have a 
product which could be easily adapted.

THe problem they faced is that they have no blue sky to offer a vendor nor 
money to pay for development. SO things are slow and klugy (SP?) at best.

They don't say alot because what they are working on may never see the light 
of day because of this.

Hell, they can't even get funds to build new sites. They have to depend on 
cooperators, grants from other agency's to cooperators, state emergency 
management grants etc..

These guys have begged,-& convinced  local or state folks of the need for a 
NOAA station intheir area and given them 1000 diffferent ways to raise 
money.  The cooperator then buys the gear builds the station and gives it to 
the government.

Last year however they were thrown another challenge. WHen their 
operation(power and telco) & maintenance budget was cut and they had to 
scrounge for money to keep the network operating they then also had to 
require the cooperators to come up with OPS and Maintenance money too or 
they could not accept the site into the network.

The way NOAA and COngress has treated this Vital Life Saving tool is a 
national embarrasment.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jerry Mathis" <thebeaver32 at hotmail.com>
To: <broadcast at radiolists.net>
Sent: Friday, November 04, 2005 8:22 PM
Subject: Re: [BC] EAS in Senate

>I haven't heard about the "things in development". It would be interesting 
>to find out about this.
>
> If they're working on multiple language alerting, more power to them, but 
> I still subscribe to the idea that if you live and work in this country
Bu

to speak the language!
>
> My comments about the billions of wasted dollars refered to the example of 
> Sarbanes-Oxley, not the NOAA weather network. Let me stress, for anyone 
> else who may have misunderstood: I do NOT consider NOAA and its radio 
> network a waste of money!!
>
> And in fact, this whole thing seems to support a recent opinion of mine 
> that a national alerting system should be designed that does not rely 
> (solely) on broadcast EAS. Perhaps we're moving in that direction. If so, 
> I want to help.
>
>
>
> Jerry Mathis
> Clear Channel Radio, Tupelo & Meridian MS
>
>
>
>
>
>>From: "Ernie Belanger" <armtx at mhcable.com>
>>Reply-To: Broadcast Radio Mailing List <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>>To: "Broadcast Radio Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>>Subject: Re: [BC] EAS in Senate
>>Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2005 16:54:40 -0500
>>
>>Answers within the body of Jerry's comments; It is a long response
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Jerry Mathis" 
>><thebeaver32 at hotmail.com>
>>Subject: Re: [BC] EAS in Senate
>>
>>
>>
>>>They re talking about using NOAA weather radio as the main link, if I 
>>>read it correctly. NOAA weather radio only uses one language: English. 
>>>There are no second channels, no SCA's, etc.
>>
>>Already baout 85% of the EAS alerts are originated by the NWR's Weather 
>>radio/all hazard net.
>>At this time you are correct regarding the current capability. However, 
>>there are things in the development
>>stages which will give NWR All Hazards network greater capability.  Some 
>>of the money allocated to
>>this new network will pay for the R&D and bringing these to fruition.
>>>
>>>This just further proves that Congressmen are bloomin' idiots.  I'll 
>>>concede (maybe) that they had good intentions, but you can't spell out 
>>>technical details by political fiat. It's idiotic.
>>
>>Not really Jerry. NOAA Weather Radio has had an ALL Hazard obligation 
>>since
>>the Clinton days. They have been doing the best they could with virtually 
>>no additional
>>funding from Congress. In fact they have had funding cut every year for 
>>the past 10 years
>>that I have been tracking it. Last year they had to shift money from other 
>>programs just to
>>cover  operational  and maintenance cost.
>>
>>The folks in the Program Office in Silver Springs are trying to develop 
>>new ways of alerting,
>>multi language feeds, special data for the deaf to on a scrolling screen 
>>etc.. with noadditional funding.
>>
>>They tried to get $5 million two years ago to provide direct interfaces 
>>with the Weather forecast offices and every local emergency management 
>>command center in the country to speed the emergency messages... Senate 
>>cut the money from
>>NOAA Budget. Because they wanted Homeland Security the FCC and NOAA to sit 
>>down and figure out
>>who was on first.
>>
>>This legistlation in essence it will give NWR's program office the money 
>>and the ligitimacy.it needs to bring the
>>network up to current technical standards. This  includes satellite fed VS 
>>phone fed, program audio, direct interface to
>>emergency managers and other capability it is sorely lacking.I know the 
>>folks who have been working on getting this legislation together for the 
>>past few years they have one goal... saving lives.
>>
>>Like broadcasters with EAS though  NWR has had an ever expanding mandate 
>>but was never given the
>>money to properly carry it out.
>>
>>The Network has been  treated as a bastard step child by Congress because 
>>it is part of NOAA.
>>
>>This is the same NOAA that  Gingrich's, in his day wanted shut down or 
>>privatized and most
>>Senators and Congressmen from the RED states still  don't understand or 
>>appreiciate what it does.
>>
>>I;ve visited with senior staffers in several Senator's and Congressman's 
>>offices who didn't even
>>know the network existed let alone that it is one of the major initiators 
>>of EAS alerts and warnings.
>>(That is until a friggin car ends up in a movie theatre because of a 
>>tornado and a few hundred folks could have been
>>killed EXCEPT for the warning given by NWR directly and via EAS which 
>>saved their lives)
>>
>>
>>You forget that Federal employees are prohibited by law from lobbying 
>>Congress. So unless someone
>>else does it, a program as valuable as this can be starved out of 
>>existance.
>>
>>>How many billions will be wasted on this when it's said and done?
>>
>>A public alerting system is not a waste Jerry, nor is saving lives. 
>>Virtually Every Day  the NOAA network
>>saves lives. Granted Broadcasters are pissed because of false alerts, 
>>especially when the EAS was new.
>>
>>
>>But,What you have at NOAA HQ and the regional offices are some of the most 
>>resourceful folks I've ever met. Truly they work wonders with nothing or 
>>nearly nothing. They have one focus, saving lives.
>>
>>Instead of being their advisary Broadcasters should pick up the phone to 
>>rhe NOAA Regional offices talk to the regional NOAA Weather Radio folks 
>>and the National Folks in Silver Springs and see how you can help.
>>
>>I can tell you they will welcome the help.  One thing I know that would 
>>help immediately is if each of us sat down looked at
>>the big picture of what this initiative could mean in a positive way and 
>>got behind it. Contacting Congressmen and Senators and urging them once 
>>and for all not to SCREW THIS THING UP. by once again bastardizing the 
>>legistlation or cutting the funds.
>>
>>This is a chance to DO IT RIGHT for once... maybe we can help that happen. 
>>And who knows Jerry, when the NOAA All Hazard Radio alerts  at 2AM and 
>>warns you of a tornado coming to your town, you might appreiciate the All 
>>Hazard Radio Network when itsave your life and that of your family and 
>>friends.
>>
>>
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