[EAS] FCC Addresses FEMA/Ad Council PSA Attention SignalConcerns

[Richard_Rudman]

Each warning system has it's strengths and weaknesses. Promoting one warning system over another is like saying a hammer is the only implement you need to carry in your toolkit.

The rollout of CMAS/WEA was not coordinated well. The PSA under current discussion is an attempt to correct that. The FCC has acted to address the PSA attention signal issue. Unfortunately there is no mention in the PSA's that WEA is one of many warning systems. I personally think it would have been better if the PSA's referred to radio and TV stations as sources of long form emergency information that are designed to supplement the very limited amount of information conveyed in a 90 character WEA message.

The public should be educated to respond to a WEA message in a similar manner to how people are trained to respond to siren alarms. They should go to longer form information sources to get detailed protective information -- even for tornado warning sirens. I am sure that many people in Tornado Alley have radios in their shelters, or carry portable AM/FM radios with them -- along with their cell phones.

We need a real national warning strategy to sort this out that supports and reinforces some simple ideas. Some of these are:

1. The more viable warning systems we have that emergency managers can use to get protective action information to a public at risk, the better.

2. We need much better emergency management coordination of all warnings going out on all available warning systems by emergency managers. Details for the short WEA message must be available to broadcasters as soon after a WEA goes out as possible. CAP has the capability so emergency managers can issue one warning message that can be parsed by both WEA and broadcast CAP entry points.

3. More people in the emergency management community have to start treating emergency public information (EPI) as a response resource. I keep trying to remind people on this list and some of those within the beltway who are not who will listen that we need an overall warning strategy that drives changes in the National Incident Management System so EPI kicks in as soon as an emergency that affects life and limb for s significant population is recognized. There is always something that emergency managers want the pubic to so or not do that will help manage the emergency situation to a better outcome. Communicating that information is what EPI is all about.

If anyone on the list is interested, I started a second petition for a bi-partisan call to Congress for legislation that will finally create a national warning strategy for the USA. I invite everyone to read the second petition and sign it if you agree with its goal. The first petition is still up and growing in support. Some did not want to sign it because of the site host, so I created another petition on a non-partisan petition site.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/the-united-states-needs-an-overall-emergency-2/

Saving lives and property with better warnings and follow-on EPI should be a non-partisan issue. I really hope everyone agrees on this point.

Richard Rudman
Core Member, BWWG

On Jun 3, 2013, at 6:58 AM, Dennis Blais wrote:

> Why are you making this 
> a "turf war" with the cell phone industry?