[EAS] concerning the request for new weather Event Codes

[Dave Kline]

With all due respect Art,
I don't see how you can possibly connect the dots between insisting on proper training to issue an EAS alert that includes a review of that alert, and scaring people away from issuing alerts.

If you want to give the alerting GO button to every person with a badge or a government job, and that works for your area, them good for you.

Our concern is not that we would scare off alert issuers, but that we would further alienate broadcasters from carrying alerts.

In Nebraska's 93 counties, not a lot of them have created local plans. Ours, like our state plan has yet to be approved by the FCC. For state EAS we are still operating on a hybrid of our 2007 plan and current technology and warning needs.  Also in NE, there are only three entities that issue alerts, the local NWS offices, the state EOC, and the state patrol. The EM for our county who is also the person who initiated our local plan, is very concerned about alert flooding and how that can lead to broadcasters opting out. EAS alerts currently are vetted by one of the two state entities or NWS before going to air. 

The intent of our local plan is to allow for an incident commander, for example, to issue a local alert without having to have it vetted by someone at the state level. As it is currently, we have no local alerts other than weather and testing. Local alerts sometimes need to be issued much more quickly than state level alerts. Those who would be certified to issue a field alert would receive the same training from our state office of Emergency Management, as anyone else who issues alerts. With that responsibility there must also be a balancing factor to prevent over-alerting. That is why our local plan includes an alert review process. This is how we expect to achieve the balance between proper alerting and driving away broadcasters.

We had an Amber alert just last night. A two day old child was abducted. Fortunately she was found this morning and was OK and the abductor is in custody. This abduction happened in Norfolk NE, the child was recovered in Pierce NE, which is about 15 miles away. Currently, any Amber alert for the state of NE is carried statewide. Overkill? Maybe it is, or maybe not. In the case of a child abduction, I personally do not think that is over alerting. But if it had been something like a train derailment in Norfolk with a HAZMAT component, the folks in Scottsbluff, NE, 370 miles away do not need to be alerted.

There is a very real need for local EAS plans, and even more so than a state plan the local plan should be tailored specifically to meet the needs of the area served. In Omaha, which is just 110 miles away from Norfolk we are fortunate to have a lot of radio and TV stations in our area. Not so much the case when you get to Norfolk though it is somewhat on the fringes of reception for some Omaha stations. Omaha, is the largest population center in NE, in addition to that, we have EAS agreements with IA that includes Council Bluffs just across the river from us. Also a major (for these parts) population center. Having all of those stations means that maybe some of them can opt out without much impact. You can be sure the Omaha metro is well covered by stations who do carry. But what about our more rural areas?

The Omaha metro area population is over 900,000. Perhaps not large by California standards, but when you consider the total Nebraska population is 1.88 million, then it is significant. We may have different needs on the East end of the state compared to the panhandle. But at the same time there are common alerting requirements in both areas. Local plans set up to serve the needs of those particular counties or groups of counties is the key to all of this working better than it does now. Broadcasters oppose a one size fits all mindset when talking about state plans and should oppose even more so when it comes to local plans. How we train, certify and review those with alerting responsibilities works for us. It may not work that way in Norfork, Scottsbluffs, or San Bernardino, but that is the beauty of it. You have local folks making local decisions about how to deal with local warnings. 

Dave 

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Dave Kline   UNO-TV/Mav Radio/KVNO
University of Nebraska at Omaha
6001 Dodge St. Omaha, NE  68182  CPACS 200