[EAS] 'improving' EAS

[Clay Freinwald]

As most of you know - Live Code Testing is something that the Washington
State SECC has opposed since the get-go.   
Frankly the timing for this could not be worse with all the dust still in
the air from the recent incidents.  
Apparently the Commish feels that the number of screw-ups will be reduced if
we all start running live code tests coupled with PSA's that no-one will pay
attention to.
Is it me,  has the FCC been invaded by aliens?      What happened to the old
Commish that would have never done these things?

It appears the FCC has entered a phase - 

1- Rather that dispense waivers -As in Live Code Testing- Tthey change the
rules and permit the activity is the State finds it acceptable

2- Rather than tell those that have been asking the Commish to change or fix
something it's not possible or practical  -As in requiring all EAS messages
be in all languages spoken in the world- they now deal with the issue by
asking others to deal with it.

3- Rather than deal with the 'source' of false alerts - As in Hawaii --They
deflect and try an push the problem to those whose only role in the process
is to forward the message (often not automatically.

Clay

-----Original Message-----
From: EAS [mailto:eas-bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Adrienne Abbott

My biggest concern in this Order is the apparent, overwhelming support for
"Live Code" testing. It's like the Commissioners now think this is the cure
for all the EAS problems. Neither I, nor the members of the Nevada SECC, nor
our state and local Authorized Originators, support the idea of Live Code
tests. There are agencies in this state which won't participate in routine
testing like RWT's, because officials are so concerned about making a
mistake or sending a false message. Now, instead of dealing with that
situation we have this Order which tells our agencies that broadcasters are
going to protect the system because we are now required to report "false EAS
Tests" and we're going to educate the public with PSA's that sound like The
Real Thing but aren't The Real Thing while you guys, our Authorized
Originators, you are OK to go ahead and send the Real Thing with a Real
Thing Event Code, even if that Real Thing isn't happening...yeah, FCC,
that's helpful. 

How is this supposed to make things better? Personally, I don't understand
the purpose of a Live Code test, especially now that we're in the CAP era.
Doesn't the FCC know that FEMA IPAWS provides a Test Bed for training with
real Event Codes so alert originators get the same experience as if they
were sending The Real Thing? Instead, the FCC gives us this Order, which
practically directs us to do something that is against everything we've
learned and preached about Public Warning since the days of CONELRAD. 

Even worse, while the FCC limits the number of Live Code tests that can be
conducted by a state to two within a one-year period, to "prevent alert
fatigue", we could end up carrying many more than two Live Code tests in a
year. Think about this...stations in border areas, or out-of-state DMA's,
could end up carrying four or six Live Code tests a year. Think about the
EAS Participants in places like Washington DC who could end up carrying Live
Code tests from DC, Virginia, Maryland and even West Virginia or Delaware.
What about the broadcasters who serve New York City? New Jersey, Delaware,
Pennsylvania, Connecticut? If the SECC's and alert originators in these
states all decide they like this idea, East Coast audiences could hear a
Live Code test almost every month. 

I suppose we should be thankful that the FCC at least acknowledges that
"alert fatigue" exists...
Adrienne

Adrienne Abbott
Nevada EAS Chair

-----Original Message-----
From: EAS <eas-bounces at radiolists.net> On Behalf Of Clay Freinwald

Richard wrote - 

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