[EAS] Should the RWT EAS Code be abolished?

[R. V. Zeigler]

I have to disagree with the following statement:

I think the broadcasters should "rise" up on FEMA and explain to them
(maybe the NAB?) just how this should work. FEMA has no position in
reality, whereas we sit in it every day. What they think is a good
idea on paper, fails horribly in the field. (New Orleans anyone?)

First, the FEMA IPAWS office has a number of meetings with broadcasters 
through PEPAC. We don't just talk about PEP centric subjects, but 
everything pertaining to emergency messaging. Secondly, Manny Centeno 
and Al Kenyon are experienced broadcast engineers with years of hands 
on, in the field, experience. They are hampered by having to play by 
rules set up by people outside of FEMA, as well as archaic mission 
statements that have not kept up with technology. I know from first hand 
experience that these two guys, and others in FEMA,  are busting their 
butts to make the Federal end of the alerting system work.

The one thing Barry keeps saying, possibly a bit too nicely, is that one 
size does not fit all. Another way to look at that is trying to make a 
framework where 50+ state plans will all interface with a Federal 
alerting structure 24/7. Some of these state plans have not been 
maintained for years, some are ego exercises by strong personalities in 
certain areas, making sure THEIR stations were top dogs, whether it made 
sense or not. In other areas you have dedicated and passionate people 
that are trying to make EAS work in impossible geographic areas. (Kudos 
Adrienne!)

We finally got the test we have all been clamoring for, and guess what? 
IT WORKED! Some thought that a 60% coverage would have been a success, 
we ended up in the high 80% area.
Problems were found, some of which were known before hand, but had to be 
shown on the big stage of a national test before those with little 
technical knowledge would accept them as actual problems. Vendors had 
problems, states had problems, stations had problems, FEMA had problems, 
but it is now all out in the open. Those with an interest in actually 
serving the public are doing what they can to solve these problems.

Are there systems better than EAS? Sure! Can these other systems be 
implemented in the current frequency/modulation scheme we all have to 
abide by today? Probably not. Will something better than EAS come along? 
Yes, but lessons learned from finally testing EAS have to be learned by 
some so that they are able to see the various pitfalls involved with any 
mass alerting system.

Please "tune in" to the FEMA IPAWS Special Event on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at

http://www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/upcoming_events.shtm

to learn more.

Rod Zeigler
PEPAC Board of Directors.
Nebraska SECC, PEP

-- 
R. V. Zeigler, Dir. of Eng.
Nebraska Rural Radio Assn.
KRVN-KTIC-KNEB
Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/RRNnews