[EAS] False EM alarm in HI

[Bill Ruck]

Warning!  Bill is getting up on his soap box.

1.  One of the lessons I learned in my U.S. Naval service (besides 
the creative use of profanity) was the importance of training.  Yes, 
drills are boring but when something bad happens everyone knows what 
to do.  Unfortunately in the EM world "training" is something that is 
either deferred because there is no funding or is not much more than 
coffee and donuts.  Mostly the former.

2.  The entire system from originator to the public is made up of too 
many different systems which are rarely ever tested from end to 
end.  Combine that with minimum training I am never surprised that it "fails".

3.  The only thing worse than an engineering solution to a political 
problem is a political solution to an engineering problem.  I've read 
that Sacramento is now proposing mandated emergency warning for CA 
but that appears to be political grandstanding.  The question is 
whether CA OES has even been asked for their expertise.  I doubt so.

4.  I have somewhere in my files the actual teletype print of a 
mistaken national alert.  Have to find that.  So the HI experience is 
not the first.

5.  When I am made Emperor For Life more funding will be available 
for training than for toys.  I've told this story but a couple of 
years ago at the NAB there was a special EAS meeting with both the 
FCC and FEMA.  I asked the Admiral why can't there be funding for 
training and his response was "We'll have to think about that."  They 
are still thinking.  See #1.

IMHO there is absolutely no reason why the public can't have an 
excellent functioning warning system.   And I don't want to hear excuses.

Bill Ruck
Curmudgeon
San Francisco