[EAS] 'improving' EAS

[Gary Timm]

Adrienne et al,
Regarding Live Code Testing...

The main reason our State EMA made for Live Code TOR testing is for families and schools and businesses to test their NOAA Weather Radio (NWR).  The only way to trigger these legacy radios is with a real code.  The point was made, does our SECC want to be responsible for a death due to an improperly programmed NWR when it could have been detected through a Live Code Test?

So our SECC was historically against Live Code Testing and held it off for years, but after the State EMA, a member of our SECC, urged all of us to go along with a Live TOR Test one year, we tried it.  There was no huge outcry from broadcasters, cable, or the public, so we've continued to do them now for about 5 years.  Its only once a year and is promoted heavily going in, so in the end has turned out to be not the end of the world.

As for the FCC "promoting" Live Code Testing by putting it into the rules...  I believe the FCC is just bowing to the wishes of States who already do annual Live Code Testing and have asked the FCC to put Live Code Testing in the rules to relieve these States of having to file for a waiver every year.  So I see this new Live Code Test rule as more driven by the States already doing testing, rather than some FCC agenda.

With all of the liability, litigation and law suits going on these days, our State EMA felt they needed the protection of a yearly Live Code Test.  So we went along with this request of a member of our SECC.  Broadcast members felt taking their concerns into account was the way a democratic SECC should operate.

I understand that it sounds that your State EMAs have not asked for Live Code testing, so it is understandable that you aren't doing it - our broadcast members would likely have not started Live Code testing either had the State EMA not requested it.

That's my view from here anyway,
Gary

From: Adrienne Abbott <nevadaeas at charter.net>

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.

Adrienne Abbott
Nevada EAS Chair