[EAS] Severe weather drills

[Mike McCarthy]

Folks,

This past week, I received notices from two state associations (IL and 
IN) about their receipt of waivers for retransmission of planned 
live/hot TOR test messages. These are messages from the NWS as part of 
each state's severe weather awareness and preparedness effort planned 
for March in each state.

If your state or local operating area has a severe weather preparedness 
drill, and the NWS sends a live TOR (or other actionable EAS message you 
would normally relay) as part of the drill, and your station(s) relays 
the same message(s), make sure your state or your stations have a 
similar waiver.

While I can't imagine an inspector citing a station for participating in 
such a coordinated test, relaying of non-compulsory hot EAS messages 
even if they are government coordinated tests is by rule not permitted. 
The only hot messages permitted to relay tests by default are RMT and 
EAN/EAT.

If anyone needs a copy of either state's letter from the FCC, please 
advise privately and I can send them on Monday...when I'm next in the 
office.

MM