[EAS] Reverse 911 problems

Wed Jan 26 16:24:55 CST 2011

There are two different approaches to consider here. 

One "traditional" approach is using a mass notification service that relies on text messaging. A large number of communities use this kind of service (one vendor alone told me they had over 1800 county, muni and state clients).  In the greater Wash DC area, for example, this kind of service is contracted by Wash DC, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun counties (in VA) and Montgomery County and others in MD. Personally, I unsubscribed from this messaging service in my area due to receiving all manner of non-emergency messages, or delayed messaging.

A second future approach is the kind currently dominated by the FCC/FEMA CMAS (Commerical Mobile Alert System) discussion. For the future CMAS system, a certain class of alerts (imminent risk to life and property - no RMTs or advisories for instance) would be relayed by mobile carriers in impacted areas. Local jurisdictions with the ability to originate a CAP message would need to configure their systems to forward a message into the IPAWS aggregator. The aggregator would authenticate and forward the message to the carriers, who would relay it via their own systems. 

This CMAS usage would be for public alert and warning, not campus or enterprise, for example. This is where the CAP EAS discussion starts to get interesting. A locality with a CAP EAS system would ostensibly have their vendor implement the IPAWS OPEN API -- so that certain kinds EAS messages destined for broadcasters could also "automatically" find their way to mobile devices. 

The mobile carriers are cooperating in this endeavor to varying extents, as far as I can see.  Verizon and AT&T have been actively looking at it, for instance.  I have two instances of national alerting software on my Droid already, preloaded by Verizon.  Yeah, the apps don't hook to anything yet, but they are obviously some kind of placeholder.  Per CMAS guidelines, national alerts are mandatory, and the user can program the app to opt in/out of local alerts (some by event type).

The FCC saying this is next year is likely, at least for national messages (a likely national message may be "an national emergency has been declared... Tune to your radio or TV".   The carriers were given 18 months to implement, which means next year.  And FEMA cites that their aggregator is now operational.

So getting the message down to the local level may be nearer than some might think.  On the other hand, originating the CAP message up from the local level may be farther way.  There are numerous problems here - lack of funding for EMs to buy their own CAP system for one.  Legal backlash cause another delay if a well-meaning agency decided to deploy their own CAP software when commercial equivalents already exist.

Things are going to get interesting (even more so....)

Edward Czarnecki, Ph.D.
Senior Director - Strategy, Development and Regulatory Affairs
Monroe Electronics, Inc.
ed.czarnecki at monroe-electronics.comwww.monroe-electronics.com
www.digitalalertsystems.com

-----Original Message-----

From: Barry Mishkind [mailto:barry at oldradio.com]Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 04:09 PMTo: eas at radiolists.netCc: Dbradionow at aol.comSubject: [EAS] Reverse 911 problemshttp://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/01/one_third_of_fairport_harbor_e.htmlOver 1/3 of the calls never connected. The article seems to suggest part of the problem is people on cell phones."These systems rely on published phone listings ... "In addition to the cell phones, how many people do you know today thatwill NOT answer a phone from a number they don't know - nor listen toany recorded message? Perhaps the penetration was under 50%? Lower?The end of the article refers to a smarter response: sending a text messageto the local cell sites in an impacted area. The local EM guy says "could beyears away." The FCC says "next year."The last I recall, the story was the cell companies could do it, but don'twant to do it._______________________________________________This is the EAS Forum Discussion ListPlease invite your friends to join our Forum!http://lists.radiolists.net/mailman/listinfo/easAnd, remember the main page: http://eas.radiolists.net