[BC] BUSH ORDERS UPDATE OF EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM

[Ernie Belanger]

The biggest problem here is that the EAS system is not good and it really is 
not a first line alerting system.. Never will be or can be by design. It is 
a decent secondary warning system at best.

We have a Government owned national warning system which is already in place 
and already serving over 90% of the population.

It will wake you if there is life threatening events from weather to hazmat, 
terrorist to Nuclear, Dam Break to Flash flood.

Unlike the TV or Radio Stations. It is capable of specifically notifying the 
area which is effected by the event. So the warnings can trigger the 
receivers in a specific area VS the TV and Radio Shotgun effect.

Already FEMA, Local Emergency Managers, The Weather Service and others have 
immediate and direct access. Already in addition to all of the above 
warnings it also broadcast Amber alerts as well.

The problem with this system is IT ISN'T SEXY, It is an old solid work 
horse, that it is not high profile, it gets virtually no publicity, it lives 
on a minutia stipend from congress. Yet it is evolving, adding capability so 
it can interface with all of the existing electronic gadgets, alert the 
hearing disabled.

Unlike Broadcast radio and TV receivers,  this Alerting System's receivers 
will turn on and wake you up in the middle of the night if there is a life 
threatening event.Mandatory for a first line alerting system!!

Sadly most broadcast stations look at it as an enemy vs. the legitimate life 
saving partner it can be. While stations could promote it with the note that 
for more specific and detailed information "once your Alert Radio goes off 
tune us in" Stations take an adversarial approach to it.  Accepting it as a 
partner and promoting it may indeed help broadcasters elevate some of the 
burden about to be placed around their necks.

The  system is the All Hazard Alert System run by NOAA. It already covers 
better than 95% of the population
It already saves lives every day!  It is the primary trigger to the 
secondary alerting system EAS.

But since it is run by NOAA it is buried in the quagmire of politics. 
Funding continuously gets cut so the weather weenies can get new toys.. of 
the Admiral (NOAA"s Boss Man) can have another ship for his fleet.  (Though 
Retired he is an Admiral so he must have a fleet of ships of course)

Bottom line.  Instead of keeping the All Hazard Network, stuck in a dark 
closet broadcasters should have long ago shined big spotlights on it.. 
promoted it... encouraged listeners to buy NOAA All Hazard radios... so they 
could be alerted then tune into the fine weather product broadcasters put on 
the air for detailed information.

But instead they treat it like NOAA does, a bastard step child, and now ... 
you have EAS being crammed further down your throat.


----- Original Message ----- , Thomas G. Osenkowsky wrote
>> >Hopefully those whose lives are saved will care.
>>
>>If a system saves lives, it is good.