[EAS] The words we use

[Sean Donelan]

While all emergencies may be local, not all alerting systems are local.

Its easy to create requirements for systems when you don't pay for them. 
New York City OEM wants an alerting system with geo-targeting of 528 feet 
(less than two NYC blocks). 528 feet for a broadcast system is extremely 
narrow broadcast, and expensive. Imagine if NYC was told it had to install 
an outdoor warning siren system capable of targeting 528 foot areas, and not 
bothering anyone outside of that 528 foot area.  NYC OEM would likely 
scream bloody hell about the cost, and come up with all sorts of reasons 
why it shouldn't be forced to geo-target 0.1 mile areas if it needed 
to pay for the system.

50kw clear channel (Class A) stations are great for reaching large areas 
during regional/national crisis. They suck for reaching 528 foot areas.

FM translators and satellite-fed hub carrying remote signals are great for 
expanding the audience of a few programmers.  For a national alert, all 
the translators and satellite-fed stations can use the same alert message. 
They suck for local alerts since they are not addressable. The FCC is 
requiring alert addressibility of each seperate cellular tower. If local 
alerts are important, should translators and satellite-fed transmitters 
have local source of alerts

Cable systems used to be franchised by each city/municipality.  The cable 
franchise agreements used to require distinct local cable override by each 
city/municipality. Now most major multi-system operators have eliminated 
franchise alerting by city/municipality.  MSOs have a single alert box for 
the DMA/metro area covering dozens or hundreds of different jurisdictions. 
Again, MSOs don't provide alerts in 528 foot areas.

What is needed for....

A national alerting system

A multi-state alerting system

A state-wide alerting system

A metro-area/regional (multi-county) alerting system

A single municipality alerting system

A single neighboorhood/few block area alerting system

A single organization or building alerting system