[EAS] EAS TESTS

[Sean Donelan]

IN the message below "state" includes state, territory, district.

SECCs do not have any legal enforcement power. SECCs can not require a 
government agency to participate in the EAS or force them to conduct 
weekly and monthly tests. The FCC has enforcement power, but generally 
acts as though government agencies (federal, state and local) are outside 
of its baliwick as far as the EAS.  FEMA requires state/local agencies to 
sign an Memorandum of Understanding to use IPAWS. But the IPAWS MOU is 
designed to protect DHS, not other EAS participants or SECCs.

In some states, the state EMA performs a regular RWT each week and 
follows the SECC plan when it should to the coordinated stated-wide RMT a 
few times a year, rotating with other alert originators.

In other states, none of the state/local government agencies perform any 
regular EAS tests.

In the best states, the SECC and state/local government agencies have 
voluntarily agreed to participate in the EAS.  State/local government 
agencies which voluntarily participate should follow the SECC's approved 
state EAS plan about when, who and how EAS tests are done in that state.

Of course, a government agency can stop voluntarily participating in a 
state EAS plan at anytime. In practice, there is usually some comaraderie 
between the government agencies and industry participants.

Better question:
What does the SECC and the state government agencies want to do?

Write it down, have everyone sign the agreement, and follow what all the 
parties agree to do. Also known as a State EAS Plan.

On Wed, 16 Jan 2019, agp at wpabradio.com wrote:
> Question:
> Are state government agencies that originate EAS alerts required to 
> conduct weekly and monthly tests??