[EAS] The California Fires - Another view

[Barry Mishkind]

At 09:46 PM 10/22/2017, Botterell, Arthur at CalOES wrote:
>I'm always wary when I hear the word "panic" used... it tends to get tossed around freely while carrying a negative connotation.  It's hard for me not to hear it as patronizing of the people at risk as well as vague.

        When I hear that, I reflect that in any minimal
        issue on a TV show or movie, someone invariably
        comes along and demands to know where their
        xxxx is, "right now."  I think it describes a lot of
        folks, but as you said, could be patronizing of others.

        As this thread meanders, I still think someone
        should have push the "fire" button on EAS. as
        it were. Even at 3AM people were working and
        some would have heard the alert. 

        The failure in this case seems to be the norm
        for many EMs ... with no mandate, their goal
        and - hey, really, their bureaucratic makeup - is 
        to control information, and its power. 

        I could be wrong, but sense you get from each
        of the news reports that have been shared is
        that Sonoma County failed. Perhaps they
        didn't know how to work the EAS box. Perhaps
        they thought with cell sites down, broadcast
        was too. Perhaps they just did not like the local
        broadcasters???????

        I sure hope you folks in CA get an honest 
        readout of why EAS was ignored.