[EAS] California Alert & Warning Guidelines published

[Sean Donelan]

Compared to other states' published plans, California OES Alert & Warning 
Guidlines aren't the worst.  Now that I've had 24 hours to read it, most 
of the guidelines aren't really new. I've read similar bits and parts in 
many other plans.

Some of the good parts:

- Written and published (yes, that's a good thing)
- Multiple levels of government (not just local, not just federal, "all of 
government")
- Multiple warning and alert systems (not just EAS, not just opt-in, 
"use all alert systems")
- Will not be perfect (recognition that crisis situations are messy)
- Cross-jurisdiction alerting (work with your neighboring jurisdictions)
- Addresses the "panic" issue
- How to write an alert/warning message (Its not obvious, and requires 
training to do it well)
- Training requirements (very helpful)
- Testing requirements (very helpful)
- Examples and Sample alert messages (in a crisis its easier to copy 
and adapt existing samples, will never cover every situation)
- Includes the beginning of a sample local alert & warning plan (again, 
will never cover every unique situation, but its much easier to plagerize 
and adapt)

Some of the bad parts:

I have some notes, but want to concentrate on the good parts for now.

Yes, California's Alert & Warning Guidelines were written by governments, 
for governments. Eventually it needs to interface with industry and 
private plans. But its not a bad thing for government agencies to have 
government plans.

Heck, some SECCs get upset when outsiders or government officials want to 
lurk on their mailing lists.

On Fri, 22 Mar 2019, Bill Ruck wrote:
> With all due respect to our friends in CA OEA "We're from the government and 
> we're here to help you."
>
> I am not surprised.
>
> Now that we have the "official" word the San Francisco Bay Area EAS Committee 
> will go back to writing our new plan.  My goal is to write a plan that 
> includes input from the local county OES people so that they actually have a 
> part to play.