[EAS] concerning the request for new weather Event Codes

[Dave Kline]

I see your point Sean,
I agree with you about warning strategy being and issue in some cases, but also see that there needs to be some flexibility for NWS warnings. I think limiting NWS to one alert every couple of hours, is not the best answer either.
We just end up doing what we have complained about the FCC doing to us.
That is to make us all work within a "one size fits all" EAS template.

I think the real disconnect happens because broadcasters and NWS have different missions.
Yes, broadcasters are supposed to serve the public, but that phrase paints with a pretty broad brush.
Some of the alerting gap can be bridged by having an active local EAS plan.
The formation of such a plan can be a real eye opener to broadcasters, NWS and the local EMs.

We went through this a few years back and at first there was a lot that neither side of the alerting formula knew about each other.
Our local EM became very much in tune with the need to keep alerts short and to the point.
He alway was adamant about not alerting too much, understanding the tune out factor and loss of participation that is possible.
We crafted a plan and made a list of recommended alerts that we would hope stations would carry.

One of my parts of the process was to come up with a list of stations in the local area that included contact information for the person or persons at each station or group that was responsible for EAS.
That was a much larger task than I first imagined. But now everyone knows who everyone else is and how to reach them.
If there are EAS issues that are not statewide, we have the means to contact those in our local area and for them to contact us or each other. Prior to having this list, I especially did not know who handled EAS for our cable outlets. Now that we have this list, they also know who to call if they miss a test from someone. As an SR station, I always hear from our cable outlets now if they did not get a test from us. The local SBE makes it easy for many of the broadcasters to know each other, but with the cable companies, in some case those folks don't even live in the same state, let alone a local area. 

It is amazing how much easier it is to talk with other stations or with the local EM or NWS when you have a local plan that covers common issues and goals.

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