[EAS] Alabama Alerts which don't use EAS

[Sharon Tinsley]

In Alabama, only AMBER Alerts currently go over EAS.  BLUE alerts will start
being issued via EAS in our state based on the FCC timeline.  

We have established a protocol with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
(ALEA) for Missing Seniors and a Missing Child Media Alert.  These alerts
are sent via email by ALEA and duplicate emails by the ABA (yes, we get up
in the middle of the night).  They are also posted to Facebook and tweeted.

Missing Child Media Alerts are sent when the circumstances don't meet AMBER
criteria.

Missing Senior Alerts are issued FREQUENTLY.  If you don't believe me, sign
up for our emails.  If these were going over EAS, stations would turn off
the codes and listeners/viewers would turn off the radio and TV.  We've had
as many as four in a week and two in a day.  

We also established this same protocol for Blue Alerts a few years ago.
Fortunately, we've not needed to issue any.

Sharon  Tinsley
Alabama Broadcasters Association