[EAS] New EAS Forum posting: A vision for what to do now that the FCC has eliminated the GMC

[Ed Czarnecki]

Richard – 

I’m flattered that you’ve incorporated my comments of 6 January into the
BWWG document.  However, as the CAP-based governor’s mandatory alert has
been tabled by the FCC, I need to revise to my prior comments.   These are
part of an upcoming white paper from Monroe Electronics.

The general areas of focus that I suggested still are applicable:  1) event
specificity, 2) usage threshold, 3) designated authority, 4) need for
standardized operations practices, and 5) need for training.  However the
context has changed – from the specific governors mandatory alert issue, to
the broader, continuing challenge of integrating EAS into the emergency
management discipline.

1.	Event specificity:  How can EAS (CAP-EAS) be better integrated into
the emergency manager’s operations, such as more directly into the Emergency
Support Functions.  CMAS may be prove to be a major driver – as emergency
managers take advantage of the geotargeted cell phone alerting capabilities
of CMAS, a side effect would be the forwarding of those messages into the
CAP EAS system.  The underlying question here is “how can emergency managers
be encouraged to better utilize EAS, systematically, as part of their
regular operations?”

2.	Usage threshold:  This is the converse of the above question.  What
circumstances would justify use of EAS.  What safeguards can be put into
place to prevent over-use or abuse?  What sanctions could/should be in place
in case of abuse?

3.	Designated authority:  While much of the discussion is on emergency
management usage of EAS, the discussion can be broadened to incorporate all
potential users of EAS capabilities.  For states where EAS is centralized at
the state level, what does that mean for county emergency managers that may
seek access to CMAS (i.e. would those alerts go the cell phone only, and not
CAP EAS?).  Also, public safety officials need to be integrated into the
dialogue, as Amber Alerts (CAEs) may originate from police agencies rather
than emergency management agencies.  And what about a governor that really
does need to activate the EAS for some reason?   Is the “governor’s
designee” still a relevant term to further define?

4.	Need for standardized operational practice:  what best practices can
be developed, and potentially introduced into state EAS plans to maintain
consistency from state to state in use of public warning capabilities.  This
includes both EAS and CMAS.  Recommending an SOP might be something that
BOTH a future DHS National Advisory Council (NAC) and the current FCC
Communications, Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC)
should look at.  I feel it is essential that both entities examine the
question – what concepts evolves from a DHS NAC may well make it into
DHS/FEMA practice, but may not directly translate into FCC
practice/rulemaking.  And vice versa.

5.	Need for standardized training:  this would still be very helpful
for EAS, CAP EAS and CMAS, as a reinforcement of how alert capabilities
should (and should not) be used.  Bear in mind, though, that national-level
training courses (such as the new FEMA IS-247), only directly impact the
IPAWS path, and do not directly touch the significant number of state-level
CAP EAS systems out there already.  FEMA may need to find a way to work with
these systems (and vendors) in a public-private partnership role - to date
they have been very uncomfortable with this, but the reality is that over 20
states have CAP systems that are by and large provisioned and serviced by
private sector entities.

Again, this is a work in progress ...

Ed

Edward Czarnecki, Ph.D. 
Senior Director – Strategy, Development & Regulatory Affairs  |  Monroe
Electronics Inc.  |  Digital Alert Systems
email ed.czarnecki at monroe-electronics.com | www.monroe-electronics.com
| www.digitalalertsystems.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: eas-bounces at radiolists.net [mailto:eas-bounces at radiolists.net] On
Behalf Of Richard_Rudman
FCC has eliminated the GMC

There is a new posting on the EAS Forum titled, If Not Governor Must Carry,
Then What? The BWWG believes that decisions related to five points we
outlined in our now moot ex parte filing should become key elements in state
and local EAS planning and plans. Part of this approach should be to form
stronger local and state stakeholder partnerships to improve the chances for
voluntary carriage of more EAS events. To view this posting and give us your
thoughts on this approach, you can go to:
 
http://eas.radiolists.net/

Regards,

Richard Rudman
The BWWG

_______________________________________________
This is the EAS Forum Discussion List

Please invite your friends to join our Forum!
http://lists.radiolists.net/mailman/listinfo/eas

And, remember the main page: http://eas.radiolists.net