[EAS] Why we need Text-To-Speech

[Sean Donelan]

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012, Adrienne Abbott wrote:
> Emergencies don't happen in quiet offices or cubicles. You have to 
> remember that the message most likely is being issued by a Battalion 
> Chief or Watch Commander working on a lap top in the back of an SUV or 
> pickup truck while surrounded by other emergency vehicles, equipment and 
> radios. All that noise will be heard in the background of an audio 
> message. At the same time this emergency official will have to 
> double-check the TTS message in that noisy environment. It's tough 
> enough to text accurately...I think we will have a lot of training to 
> do.

Is there industry consensus to expand the number of people authorized
to activate EAS?

In 1993, almost the exact same example was given as a benefit for the
new EAS, that local police and fire officials could activate EAS from 
vehicles and speak directly over radio, television and cable.  Local 
reporters do stand-ups from (or near) the scene of emergencies on almost 
every local newscast now, so its not a major technical hurdle.

But there has been over 20 years of EAS comments expressing concern about 
over-use of EAS and suggesting only a limited number of officials be able 
to activate EAS.  In many state and local EAS plans less than a dozen, 
and often three or fewer officials are authorized.  In some EAS plans, 
only one local official is authorized to activate EAS.  In several 
states, AMBER alerts must be authorized by state level officials before 
releasing through EAS.

Although emergencies don't happen in quiet cubes or offices, most 
emergency organizations don't expect a battalion chief or watch
commander to operate alone.  There are usually support channels and
specialists for a variety of things.

State and local use of EAS (and previously EBS) has always been mostly 
an industry driven program.  So back to the question. Is there industry 
consensus to expand the number of people authorized to activate EAS if
CAP makes it possible for any police officer or fire official to issue
an alert from their vehicle?