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

[Ed Czarnecki]

Dave - That's counties that have their own direct access to IPAWS/WEA, not
depending on another jurisdiction to place the alert for them.

From: EAS [mailto:eas-bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of 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
>
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