[EAS] FW: IPAWS Tip: Use Weekly Tests to Ensure IPAWS Production Success

[Mike McCarthy]

I am going to pose a very specific question pertaining to logging of all
the incoming messages from various federal, state, county, and now local
agencies. Particularly with the below increased promotion of IPAWS in
mind.

73.1820(a(1(iii))) reads:

"An entry of each test and activation of the Emergency Alert System (EAS)
pursuant to the requirement of part 11 of this chapter and the EAS
Operating Handbook. Stations may keep EAS data in a special EAS log which
shall be maintained at a convenient location; however, this log is
considered a part of the station log."

End....

and 73.1820(c) reads:

"In preparing the station log, original data may be recorded in rough form
and later transcribed into the log."

End

Does anyone have a precedent case or binding example which permits and
exemplifies the simple EAS ENDEC (generic reference) printed log attached
to the parent Station Log document each week as blanket included, reviewed
and being sufficient to meet the spirit, if not the letter of the above
rules for recording an entry of each test and activation?

The goal is to avoid filling in a sheet of blank fields for each and every
test and specific message. 73.1820(c) seem to infer they want everything
hand entered whereas the prior citation of 73.1820(a(1(iii)))infers the
printed machine log as being sufficient.

With severe weather upon us and the NWS's propensity to message flood, it
is not uncommon to receive 4 sheets of  messages a week just from the NWS
and forwarding LP-1 and LP-2. And in the case of one of our stations, the
state sending TOR's through it's separate system on top of NWS and LP's.

We're drowning...  And can't keep the Station Log document clean of
scribbles, strikes, and corrections. Never mind the time needed to enforce
and follow proper logging practices across a staff.

While we have attached the ENDEC's print outs as a matter of course since
2012, my question exclusively surrounds the need to ***manually*** record
the dates/times and signature of ***any*** message on the parent Station
Log document. This would also apply specifically to standard RWT's and
RMT's from IPAWS, LP-1, LP-2, and other mandated relay points on the
Station Log document which is reviewed and signed by the DCO weekly.

I don't wish to enter into a long debate on the spirit and intent of the
rule. Nor the matter of electronic record keeping. (We keep paper records
as a matter of choice by the licensee). Just whether or not what I have
asked has precedent as being permissible for simplified paper logging and
reviewing.

Sorry for the long message...

Thanks...

MM

On Wed, April 4, 2018 3:38 pm, Ed Czarnecki wrote:
> fyi.  I like that FEMA is expanding its outreach with this type of info.
>
> From: FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
>
> IPAWS Tip: Use Weekly Tests to Ensure IPAWS Production Success