[EAS] Suffolk Co, NY EAS mishap

[Mike McCarthy]

I took a look at the island by Google satellite and now have a somewhat
different perspective. It is an odd island.

Only a small portion of the island at the west end is open to motor
traffic and there is a rather large parking lot there. While there are a
thousand or so residential structures spread along along and across the 30
or so miles of developed land, most are single family walk-up residences
lacking/restricting motor vehicle access. The "roads" fronting all the
homes appear to be simply narrowed rights of way intended for bikes (and
maybe golf carts.) None have traditional driveways and garages. And all
but a handful are a several block walk minimum to the local/nearest marina
for any ferry/transport to the mainland.

This simple fact of limited mobility alone requires something of a more
advanced notification to the on-island inhabitants given outright speed is
not something walking enables. Then there are the several thousand people
(regardless of whether they live there or are simply renters.) needing
ferry portage off the island or to their cars. Hence the urgency of an EAS
type notification.

I don't fault that EM's decision to use all the tools at their disposal
for this rather unusual situation. And to use a location of similarity in 
Maryanne's state, try evacuating Desert Island via the lone two lane state
road on and off the island. It takes time.

I agree with John on his below comments. Just like practicing the EAN (now
NPT) will flush out problems with the national system, it's these local
smaller events which wash out problems. And in doing so shall make it more
certain when the big event occurs, the message to get out will in
fact...get out.

MM

On Wed, September 7, 2016 4:06 pm, Crosby, John wrote:
>There is room to have PIO's use their skills and tools to reinforce the
EAS/WEA message.(multiple layers of warning) If we never use the tools at
this
level why would you think you could do a better job at a bigger deadlier
event??
The fact that we keep finding errors in the systems, don't second guess the