[EAS] NWS Alerts and messaging

[Barry Mishkind]

I just wanted to let you all know that today I had a very good conversation with folks from the NOAA NWR both Federal and local, and found them to be concerned and definitely willing to listen.

We are in a "special" area in way, as the Partial County Alerting system is being worked out here, so that Pima County is not in every alert. There may be some improvements in the system as experience develops. 

The thing I wanted to broach here today relates to the messages. Over the past couple of weeks, the monsoon season has hit Southern Arizona, and I believe the statement today was that something like 1/2 the normal number of alerts in a year have been sent out. The frequency of the alerts is something to consider, but the length is also a matter of concern - we had a number of alerts that exceeded two minutes and were actually cut off from the EAS unit. 

Warning people of weather issues is not a trivial matter, and the NWS folks are not trying to drive broadcasters nuts (although for some of you it is a short drive!). However, when reading of the counties and divisions and safety warnings run every 10-15 minutes for two minutes, those of you who are tasked with EAS often hear "no more, change the programming of the EAS."

So ... question: If you were to ask your PDs and GMs, what would their response be:
1. How many alerts would they be "happy" to run an hour?
2. How long a message would the be "happy" to relay?
3. If it were possible to have an alert say "There is a Severe Storm on the West Side of Houston and moving West" ... as the total audio, would they be more willing to put them on the air?
4. If it were possible to use a secondary code that stations could use or not use, would it be welcome? (ie, when FFWs are being issued, would you be willing to use, let's say FFA, to filter and "hold" so staff can run them or read them on the air?)

TIA for your thoughts.