[EAS] Despite efforts to improve it disaster alert system still flawed

[Sean Donelan]

The Press Democrat continues its coverage of the performance of emergency 
alerts during the California wildfires.  Overall, good reporting. 
Occasionally, officials are confused about the alert systems they use, and 
its reflected in the reporting.

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/10058569-181/rebuilding-sonoma-county-despite-efforts

Last year and again this month, the county conducted tests to gauge the 
effectiveness of the federal Wireless Emergency Alert system and other 
programs to warn the public, such as SoCo Alert and NOAA weather radios. 
The results show the county is reaching more people than ever before, but 
there remain challenges with technology, geography and public 
participation that will prevent alerts from reaching everyone.

"There is no single system that will work for everybody," county Emergency 
Management Director Christopher Godley said. "That's why we try to drill 
it into people's heads -- you have to sign up for everything. Redundancy is 
key."

While cellphones are central to everyday communication, their functions 
are controlled by private companies.

Telecom providers have missed the federal government's May deadline to 
increase the length of emergency messages local governments can push onto 
cellphones -- still limiting messages to 90 characters though they are 
supposed to be expanded to 360 characters. Wireless phone companies are 
facing another deadline in November to fine-tune local officials' ability 
to target emergency alerts at cellphones within specific areas.

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The FCC "deadlines" are always a bit bogus, being set for political 
instead of technical reasons.  I understand the need for administrative 
regulatory agencies to create deadlines. No one should think they are 
realistic, or anyone will actually meet those deadlines.

The government's FEMA IPAWS software wasn't ready to support WEA 2.0 
changes in Spring 2019.

Likewise, I don't expect mobile devices and cellular providers to be ready 
for WEA 3.0 geo-targetting next month.

And even if some WEA 3.0 software is ready, I expect the new mobile phone 
turn-over will take 5 years.  People aren't replacing new cell phones as 
rapidly as before.

Much like the myth of a fire chief using an iPhone App to send emergency 
alerts while sitting on-scene in a fire truck, geo-targetting 100% of WEA 
alerts within 0.1 miles isn't going to happen how its being sold to 
emergency officials by FCC and vendors.  WEA 3.0 will support better
geo-targetting, but also may be slower and have unexpected behaivor
as people move around with mobile devices and experience geolocation 
glitches.