[EAS] concerning the request for new weather Event Codes

[Sean Donelan]

On Sat, 9 Jul 2016, Clay Freinwald wrote:
> Mike McCarthy wrote-
> Someone please explain technical and non-political reasoning for not using
> the NWR as a PEP. With FEMA spending millions to harden many Class A AM's
> and any number of  wide coverage FM's, would it not make sense to harden the
> NWR system as well?
> ---------------------------------
> My response -
>
> For those that don't know - The Seattle WFO is directly connected to our
> areas EAS System.

However, the Seattle WFO is not directly connected to FEMA as a PEP.  It 
acts a "local" participating station, getting a "local" feed from a 
nongovernment PEP broadcast station and the state relay network.

Congress has not authorized or funded FEMA to install equipment at NOAA
stations to distribute Presidential messages or provide a direct feed from 
FEMA to NOAA (or any other government agencies).  There is no national
audio feed connecting all NOAA stations.  Each NOAA WFO operates its
stations locally.

Washington State's use of its state government networks and NOAA stations
to distribute warnings and emergency information should be applauded.