[EAS] Blue Alerts Are Back

[Murdoch, Bill]

Hello All,

In Illinois, Public Act 98-0263, does not mention EAS or codes for Blue Alerts at all.

It's called a "Crimes Against Police Officers Advisory," and, according to the statute: "The Department of State Police may partner with media, and may request a media broadcast concerning details of the suspect in order to obtain the public's assistance in locating the suspect or vehicle used in the offense, or both. "

I expect it will be handled in a way similar to Amber Alerts that are disseminated through the NWS, and optionally carried by the media.

My experience is that the news department gets the alert (Amber, TOR, Flood), and runs with it.

Bill Murdoch
Illinois EAS/SECC Chair

-----Original Message-----
From: EAS [mailto:eas-bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Ed Czarnecki

Regarding the 27 states that have Blue Alert plans in place, can anyone confirm whether or not:

(a) EAS is considered part of that process?

(b) and if so, the LEW code is to be used?  Or other?

 

Again, Chairman Pai will be proposing the creation of a new event code.
However I'd like to gather some info on how many states are already using the existing LEW code for this purpose, particularly since Blue Alert plans date as far back as 2015.

 

States having blue alert plans include:

1.      AL

2.      AZ

3.      CA          

4.      CO

5.      CT

6.      DE

7.      FL (does mention using EAS)

8.      GA

9.      KS

10.   KY

11.   IL

12.   IN

13.   MA

14.   MI

15.   MN (I know discussion of this started up back this past January in the
SRB and MN-IPAWS)

16.   ME

17.   MS

18.   NC

19.   ND

20.   OH

21.   OK

22.   SC

23.   TN

24.   TX (does not mention using broadcast media or EAS)

25.   UT

26.   VA (does mention using broadcast radio, but not EAS specifically) 

27.   WA

 

BTW, I like that Washington state included the following provision in their Blue Alert legislation (limitation of liability).  This was omitted in Virginia, for example (but then again, Virginia did not specify any specific dissemination in its legislation):

 

RCW 10.108.040 Liability immunity.

No cause of action shall be maintained for civil damages in any court of this state against any radio or television broadcasting station or cable television system, or the employees, officers, directors, managers, or agents of the radio or television broadcasting station or cable television system, based on the broadcast of information supplied by law enforcement officials pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or restrict in any way any immunity or privilege a radio or television broadcasting station or cable television system may have under statute or common law for broadcasting or otherwise disseminating information.

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: EAS [mailto:eas-bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Adrienne Abbott

 

"Each state chair on this list works hard with his/her broadcasters to make sure they can provide their audiences with good quality EAS messages, within the limits of our infrastructure. Not every state or local government agency has access to CAP. We also work with our state and local partners to make

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