[EAS] Should the RWT EAS Code be abolished?

[Adrienne Abbott]

Alex wrote: No GM likes it, the public is desensitized to it, and all us
engineers can do is submit our ideas, even if some do fall on deaf ears and
watch mayhem ensue...

Actually, many GM's like EAS and embrace their responsibility in Public
Warning. They promote their stations as the one on which the audience can
rely in an emergency. They even see EAS, especially with the enhancements
that CAP offers, as another source of news.  

The public is hardly desensitized to EAS, and an EAS activation is another
element that adds to the credibility of multiple warning messages. 

The FCC--and FEMA--are hardly uncaring when it comes to the broadcast
engineers. Back in the mid 90's when the FCC was putting EAS together,
people like Frank Lucia were very interested in what we had to say about
EBS. They visited communities large and small to hear our ideas for EAS.
Several years ago, I was practically mobbed on my first visit to the FCC by
staff who wanted to hear first-hand from someone in the field who cared
enough to come to their office. I was there for more than 4 hours talking
about EAS! 

As with any government agency, the FCC has a very complex mechanism for
taking comments on changes to their proposed rules. BWWG came about as a way
for broadcasters to submit their comments on EAS matters to the FCC as a
group. We spent a lot of time soliciting comments about changes to the Part
11 rules from the group. We tried to incorporate all those suggestions into
our final product and made sure the group had a chance to review everything
before we sent the final product to the FCC. Some of us also submitted
comments individually. Will the FCC make all the changes we suggested?
Probably not--other groups and individuals also submitted comments and
suggestions. Will Mayhem ensue? Probably, because mayhem, confusion and
tumult are part of any disaster.  

But I can tell you, there have been a lot more people involved in these
discussions than were involved in the FCC comment process on Part 11. It
would have been helpful if these comments had been submitted to the FCC
during the Part 11 review.    
Adrienne

"Radio burps, it cries, it needs to be fed all the time, it requires
constant attention, but we love it." Jim Aaron WGLN 

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