Nationwide Test of Emergency Alert System to Become a Reality

November 4, 2011 By News Staff

For the past two years, officials in cooperation with the FCC and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have worked to make a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) a reality.

In June, FEMA and the FCC announced that the first-ever nationwide EAS test will occur Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. EST.

The EAS is a network of radio, television, cable and satellite providers (formally known as EAS participants) across the country that ensures the system is at a constant state of readiness for the president of the United States to communicate to the public during a national emergency.

Although the national EAS has never been activated for an actual emergency or test, the NOAA and state and local alerting authorities use the system daily to provide area alerts and warnings.

Go to Emergency Management to read more about the national EAS test.

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http://www.govtech.com/public-safety/Nationwide-Test-of-Emergency-Alert-System.html

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Comments

george gotsis | Commented November 7, 2011

It's too bad that by the time we can finally do a nationwide test that TV and Radio are waning as the primary information medium for many people. Time to add twitter and popular home pages to the system.

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