[EAS] FIPS code changes - NOAA/NWS updates

Sean Donelan sean at donelan.com
Sat Jan 22 18:14:18 CST 2022


FIPS codes are stable, but not unchanging. [Yes, I know, FIPS is 
the old name, but no one knows INCITS codees.] The Census Bureau 
occasionally updates FIPS codes based on local boundary and name changes.

NOAA/NWS Weather Radio is updating its SAME codes in Alaska on March 22, 
2022 to reflect Census Bureau FIPS code changes in Alaska from the last 
Census.

https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf2/scn21-104_valdez_cordova_census_area_and_fips_deletion.pdf

SECC EAS plans and EAS equipment in these areas may require updating.

DASDEC - Software update
Gorman Redlich - Unknown
Sage - Manual update FIPS location names
Viavi/Trilithic - Software update

While the most recent FIPS code changes are in Alaska, other states have 
FIPS code changes during the last decade.  NOAA/NWS occasionally changes 
coastal marine codes, but I don't have a consolidated list of marine code
changes during the last decade.

Keeping old FIPS codes in EAS equipment may be a good idea during a 
(multi-year) transition period, because alert originators sometimes use 
the old FIPS code. Unless you update your FIPS lists, you may miss alerts 
using new FIPS codes.

Alaska
 	Chugach Census Area (02-263) - added 2019
 	Copper River Census Area (02-066) - added 2019
 	Kusilvak Census Area (02-158) - name change 2015
 	Petersburg Borough (02-195) - added 2013
 	Valdez-Cordova Census Area (02-261) - deleted 2019

Louisiana
 	LaSalle Parish (02-059) - name change 2011

South Dakota
 	Oglala Lakota County (46-102) - name change 2015

Virginia
 	Bedford (independent) city (51-515) - deleted 2013

https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/technical-documentation/county-changes.2010.html



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