[EAS] Max Length of EAS Messages

[David Turnmire]

I really encourage everyone that is significantly involved with EAS to 
take the free FEMA IS-247 online course 
(http://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp?page=4) regarding IPAWS.  It 
has a lot of useful information about IPAWS and also covers CMAS. And 
some general tips useful to EAS alerting.  I can't recall how long I 
took to take it...an hour... maybe two.  I think you'll find there isn't 
as much duplication of effort as you might think.  As I recall, a lot of 
that 90 character message is taken up with an essentially canned 
response to the type of alert, etc.  Think of it as an improved version 
of the text message we get from legacy EAS messages on TV displays.  
You'll get more helpful info than that... but less than you would if you 
didn't have limitations inherent in cell phone messaging.

Like the rest of us, I'm still learning this stuff, but as I understand 
it, once the states go through the certification/training hoops FEMA 
requires, then they'll be able to input alert information into IPAWS 
(and consequently CMAS) using the same CAP software/service they use for 
EAS.  One interface... one data entry... with the results automatically 
adapted to the unique constraints of email based alerting, EAS based 
alerting, CMAS based alerting, etc.  We can certainly expect there to be 
bumps along the way as we work out the kinks...

Dave