[BC] EAS calling

[Barry Mishkind]

At 09:38 AM 7/13/2006, Rich Wood wrote
>did their weekly test. The receiver is working. That's two tornados 
>within 100 miles in a couple of days. Isn't EAS often triggered by 
>the Weather Service?

WCBS posted this interesting report. Perhaps you'll find it illuminating....

Posted: Wednesday, 12 July 2006 11:10AM

Emergency Message Sent in Error

Hartford, CT -- There was no civil emergency in Connecticut this 
morning, despite a message to that effect that was sent to radio and 
television systems.

Wayne Sanford, the deputy commissioner of Homeland Security, says the 
National Weather Service was trying to issue an alert over the marine 
radio system about a missing boat, but somehow also activated the 
emergency alert system.

A message that went out to TV, cable and radio stations at about 8:45 
a.m. said there was a civil emergency in the state.

Homeland Security then advised the stations of the error.

Sanford said they are trying to determine whether there was human 
error involved or some type of mechanical failure that caused the 
wrong tone to be issued.

This is the second time the system has malfunctioned in two years. In 
February of 2005, a message went out across the state saying that an 
evacuation order had been issued.

Sanford said that was human error, and changes were made to prevent a repeat.

He says some of the emergency alert equipment is 50 years old, and 
plans are in the works to upgrade the system.