[BC] Disaster preparedness

[Barry Mishkind]

At 03:03 PM 11/8/2005, EAS_PM at oes.ca.gov wrote
>------ At 12:58 PM 11/8/2005, Rich Wood wrote: -------
>...........snip..............
> >There's no perfect system for every city.
>
>Well, that's kinda my point in all this too.  Everyone has a 'solution' but
>it is only one of many solutions!  Cell phones alone are not the answer;
>---although a very good "portability" answer; the internet, satellite,
>terrestrial broadcast radio, TV down to "speakers on a stick" can not stand
>alone as THE system.  ALL must work together in order to build a
>comprehensive alert and warning system.

         Ben,

         You are exactly right. Any system
         that tries to operate off of one delivery
         method is no longer fully useful in
         today's society

         Unfortunately, like so many other issues,
         EAS and other alerting fight for the limited
         funds available, and against the large number
         of bureaucrats - and their kingdoms - who
         want to control them. The current "poster
         child" for the careful husbandry of public
         funds is a bridge in Alaska, said to cost
         something like $250 million, in order to
         save 50 people a five minute ferry ride.

         Broadcasters have a unique opportunity
         to alert their listeners to the options
         available for warnings to the public,
         and how they can help to improve them.

         EDIS and the other options, like NWR
         All Hazards, etc, ought to be incorporated,
         into a comprehensive local plan.

         The sad part is that with all the angst
         over EAS, progress is painfully slow.