[EAS] Radio and Maui: A Failure To Communicate?

[Gregory Muir]

Rich,<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
 
I think you misunderstood the context of my statement regarding station automation systems and lack of broadcast personnel during certain parts of each day.  And much of the references I have stated are mainly based upon impressions I have gained by the way alerts are handled in the area in which I live.  But I am sure that they are also applicable to other areas in the nation as well depending upon the abilities of those who are responsible for emergency warning methods.
 
Yes each of the stations here have ENDECS in the circuit which automatically relay alerts mainly from the NWS but the use of a live body to otherwise initiate an alert at the behest of a local emergency services agency is basically missing.  In addition any attempts to offer a system whereby an agency could access a LP1 to insert emergency information automatically never seem to surface.  Since all area stations listen to their respective LP1s and LP2's (which listen to the LP1) not having an ability to actually initiate an alert by a LP designated broadcast station (except via a relayed EAS alert) leaves out a lot of possibilities not covered by the NWS.
 
As I had mentioned in my prior post the only other way locally to get non-weather related alerts out is via the IPAWS method which seem to be lacking a lot in this area.  To be honest I really don't believe that I have ever seen a local IPAWS event for this area.  All others have come from the state capital a hundred miles away or from smaller county agencies far from this location.  I don't know if this is a problem involving logistics, training or just lack of simple awareness about how it can be done.  So this does become a "human" issue by not designing in a form of reliable emergency notification and subsequent broadcast to citizens outside of the NWS route.
 
There are far more hazard situations beyond the environmental issues that are normally automatically handled by everyday EAS alerts that still require immediate attention. and they do not involve a tsunami, earthquake, marine warning, etc.  As I had indicated one of these could be a large chlorine vapor cloud that could be encroaching on an inhabited area. What would be the route if the LP1 & LP2 were on automation with no one to be found on shift, there was no way to automatically access the LP1 to initiate an alert and NWS either didn't answer the phone or not be involved in the emergency at all due to a possible SOP rule?
 
Greg