[EAS] Disputed alert system gets upgrade after Wine Country fires

[Dave Turnmire]

This article indicated "Only about a third of all counties in the U.S. 
have access to the alert system, which is administered by the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency."  I have heard similar comments elsewhere.  
But is that really true?  Or is it only counting the number of counties 
that their own direct access to IPAWS/WEA?

For example... every county/tribe in Idaho can originate a WEA (or EAS) 
alert simply by placing a call to the State Emergency Communications 
Center... a number they use regularly for other purposes.  They don't 
need as much training as they might otherwise, because the dispatcher 
they are talking to is trained and will prompt them with the appropriate 
questions... and advise them on things like whether it meets Amber 
criteria.  But... very few counties have their own MOU with FEMA.  So... 
how do the statistics count the number of counties that "have access to 
the alert system" in Idaho?  I know we aren't the only state where 
counties w/o their own MOU can none-the-less promptly get an alert on 
the air.

Dave

On 11/6/2017 11:01 AM, Bill Ruck wrote:
> See
>
> http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Disputed-alert-system-gets-upgrade-after-Wine-12332522.php?cmpid=gsa-sfgate-result 
>
> It is unfortunate that it takes disasters to get attention.
>
> Bill Ruck
> Curmudgeon
> San Francisco
>
> __________________________________________________________
> The EAS Forum Discussion List is hosted by the BWWG (Broadcast Warning 
> Working Group). http://eas.radiolists.net
> Please invite your friends to join our Forum! The sign up is at: 
> https://lists.radiolists.net/mailman/listinfo/eas
> ___________________________________________________________
>