[EAS] Humans thwart disaster alerts - - URL

[Barry Mishkind]

At 04:25 PM 10/2/2017, Botterell, Arthur at CalOES wrote:
>Didn't mean to put words in your mouth, Barry.  

        Thanks.

>Still, I think broadcasters have come to assume that the public warning world revolves around them and that it's up to warning issuers to meet the broadcasters' every need.  I'm questioning whether that's realistic anymore.

        Most broadcasters would be happy to 
        announce that warning world does NOT
        revolve around them. Washington
        State, for example, puts itself out there
        merely as a "carrier"... and expects any
        alert to come from an EM agency.

>I've had several conversations with NOAA folk where the broadcast-specific-product idea came up.  Apparently NOAA is trying to reduce the number of different products it creates, partly  I think because of forecaster workloads during active weather.  They aren't ignoring the idea, they just have other constraints.

        ... like announcing SVR ten times in an hour
        as the storm comes through a city.  I do not
        excuse broadcasters who run "automated"
        all the time, with no one in the building. 
        However, for those that run "automated," so
        that they are covered overnight, can get
        burned if repeated EAS alerts break live
        announcements of an emergency (see
        Chicago snow alarm).

        IF it were my call, I'd demand that someone
        be available 24/7 to received alerts - with
        the ability to dial in, or use VPN to go 
        live at any point. 

        What to do about totally automated stations
        that do not care?   Public pressure has been
        suggested - but you have to solve a few
        major problems (but with simple solutions) now.
        
>And when you say "the broadcasters' ability has not changed," I'm afraid you're putting your finger on the button.  This isn't 1963 anymore, nor even 1974. 

        Quite true ... and consolidation has multiplied
        the problem in most places.

> Times change and new methods are required.

        That would get an agree from me.

>  We don't tell broadcasters how to broadcast traffic or weather.  In fact the only place officialdom dictates how to present something on air is in EAS... and the complaining about that never stops!

        Well, sort of say that. The "system" has its
        default that most all would say falls short
        of being really useful. But, in few places 
        have agencies changed how they use EAS,
        and both sides argue the other is the problem.

>Funny how people feel entitled to snipe at government all day long... but when we invite them to solve their own problems, a sudden silence falls.

        Funny indeed.  Yes, there are MANY stations 
        that have written EAS off. They got burned too
        many times and do not want to come back
        to the table. That is where agencies need to 
        reach out.  Personally, by my actions here,
        on the BWWG, and otherwise, I show myself
        ready to talk.  But the silence Art, come from
        agencies who require "all hail polygons" before
        they will even respond to an email or phone call.
        
        Twice in two years, I have received an initial
        note from someone in NWR, and when I 
        replied, ready to talk, I get silence. 

>  C'mon, folks, let's see a bit of creativity here!

        That is indeed what is needed.

        There is a decent system out there, but it      
        is, to use the metaphor, broken on the 
        last ten feet on both sides.

>Art
>________________________________________
>From: EAS <eas-bounces at radiolists.net> on behalf of Barry Mishkind <barry at oldradio.com>
>
>        Art, I have *NEVER* said targeting is wrong,
>        What I have said is that it is not the sole responsibility
>        of broadcasters to "reach out" to agencies that are
>        not very interested in talking, so that their product
>        meets the needs (didn't someone talk about needs
>        earlier today?) of on-air announcements.
>
>        One concept that was advanced got nearly 0
>        attention from NWS was issuing an EAS customized
>        for broadcast, perhaps using a different code, perhaps
>        using "first in line in a time period" ... or some other
>        way to run the alert and then not run message flooding.
>
>        The broadcasters' ability has not changed. But by
>        working together, broadcasters and agencies can make
>        the most of each others abilities.
>
>        One suggestion I've written about for over a decade:
>        let's get rid of county operational areas and relate
>        to the audience the storm is 75 miles East of (Art's House),
>        or serving is to the "area within 50 miles of Los Angeles"
>
>        No driver from several states away will understand
>        the tornado warning for Shoehorn County... They
>        need to know the risk is 35 miles North of Capital City.
>
>        Do these things and EAS will be much more welcome
>        in the broadcast arena.
>
>        Unlike the cell companies which mostly do not pass WEAk
>        alerts.
>
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Barry Mishkind - Tucson, AZ - 520-296-3797