[EAS] Blue Alerts Are Back

[Sean Donelan]

On Thu, 25 May 2017, Suzanne Goucher wrote:
>>> Blue Alert situations can be handled by the LEW code.<<
>
> I'd argue for a separate code for Blue Alerts.  Maine and several other 
> states do not use EAS for Blue Alerts (or Silver Alerts, for that 
> matter, because of the risk of chartreuse/teal/fuchsia/yellow ochre* 
> alert fatigue and overload).  Having a separate code would mean that 
> states that want to use EAS could do so, and in those that don't, LEW 
> could still be reserved for other law enforcement-related alerts -- 
> riots in the streets, nuclear lobsters attacking the coast, whatever -- 
> without stations having to air Blue Alerts as part of the LEW "basket." 
> Just my $0.02.

In theory, if the Maine State Police never send a Blue Alert via EAS; 
Maine broadcasters would only receive LEW event codes for other 
law-enforcement alerts.  The would never be a LEW Blue Alert in Maine. I 
don't know Maine broadcast geography, there may be some spill-over from 
broadcast stations in neighboring states.  But state border spills happen 
with all alerts.

Instead of saying WHEN emergency managers send public alerts or 
warnings, I've tried to focus HOW to send the most effective public 
alerts and warnings.  If EMA officials decide its important enough to 
interrupt broadcasters for an alert, how to prepare a high-quality alert 
message which is most likely to be carried by a range of public alerting 
channels (broadcasters, mobile phones, social media networks, etc).

Channels that don't want to carry alerts, won't carry them regardless. 
Broadcaster complaints are more about crappy alerts.  Broadcasters rarely 
complain about true emergency alerts.