[EAS] FCC BLU Alert Proposal

[Clay Freinwald]

Sean  - You NAILED IT with this - 

As I've pointed out before, there is a lot of variability how different
states and territories maintain EAS readiness. The SECCs with
representatives on this EAS forum list are some of the best prepared. 
But in some states the "SECC" is a single person, and occasionally the
single person retires without replacement. I'm not blaming the lone-person
SECCs. He or she is trying to make something work, without any support.
Just getting Required Monthly Tests scheduled is a major accomplishment. 
Expecting a lone-person SECC to conduct training for all the stakeholders in
a state isn't reasonable.

A couple of responses regarding your other observations - 

Looking at all 50 states, territories and the District of Columbia, what I
see, states with highly functional EAS plans have active participation by a
designated, i.e. paid, staff person from the emergency management agency
with responsibility for public warning in their job description. Not just an
ex-officio representative from the governor's office or the state's director
of the EMA.

CF - In WaState  we have a mixture of participants.    Those from various
government entities are paid by those agencies they work for.   Others, like
myself, are volunteers.    Thankfully we don't have any political appointees
but rather those that actually work in the field and have knowledge and
ability to contribute.     Fortunately we have been able to attract a group
of people who all have a passion for getting it done.   Our work-load is
also distributed that reduces the load on the participants at the same time
gives ownership to many.

I feel that the Feds could have done a lot more by providing structure
guidelines etc to the states so that we would all be closer to working on
the same page.

Regarding RMT's - In WaState the job of initiating ALL RMT's and actual
messages rests with those that actually send Warning Messages.
We rotate the duty between the State, Local Governments and NWS.

Clay