Related Research Articles
The Emergency Broadcast System (EBS), sometimes called the Emergency Action Notification System (EANS), was an emergency warning system used in the United States. It was the most commonly used, along with the Emergency Override system. It replaced the previous CONELRAD system and was used from 1963 to 1997, at which point it was replaced by the Emergency Alert System.
CONELRAD was a method of emergency broadcasting to the public of the United States in the event of enemy attack during the Cold War. It was intended to allow continuous broadcast of civil defense information to the public using radio stations, while rapidly switching the transmitter stations to make the broadcasts unsuitable for Soviet bombers that might attempt to home in on the signals.
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national warning system in the United States designed to allow authorized officials to broadcast emergency alerts and warning messages to the public via cable, satellite and broadcast television and AM, FM and satellite radio. Informally, Emergency Alert System is sometimes conflated with its mobile phone counterpart Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), a different but related system. However, both the EAS and WEA, among other systems, are coordinated under the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). The EAS, and more broadly IPAWS, allows federal, state, and local authorities to efficiently broadcast emergency alert and warning messages across multiple channels. The EAS became operational on January 1, 1997, after being approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in November 1994, replacing the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS), and largely supplanted Local Access Alert systems, though Local Access Alert systems are still used from time to time. Its main improvement over the EBS, and perhaps its most distinctive feature, is its application of a digitally encoded audio signal known as Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME), which is responsible for the characteristic "screeching" or "chirping" sounds at the start and end of each message. The first signal is the "header" which encodes, among other information, the alert type and locations, or the specific area that should receive the message. The last short burst marks the end-of-message. These signals are read by specialized encoder-decoder equipment. This design allows for automated station-to-station relay of alerts to only the area the alert was intended for.
A tornado warning is a public warning that is issued by weather forecasting agencies to an area in the direct path of a tornado, or a severe thunderstorm capable of producing one, and advises individuals in that area to take cover. Modern weather surveillance technology such as Doppler weather radar can detect rotation in a thunderstorm, allowing for early warning before a tornado develops. They are also commonly issued based on reported visual sighting of a tornado, funnel cloud, or wall cloud, typically from weather spotters or the public, but also law enforcement or local emergency management. When radar is unavailable or insufficient, such ground truth is crucial. In particular, a tornado can develop in a gap of radar coverage, of which there are several known in the United States.
Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) is a protocol used for framing and classification of broadcasting emergency warning messages. It was developed by the United States National Weather Service for use on its NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) network, and was later adopted by the Federal Communications Commission for the Emergency Alert System, then subsequently by Environment Canada for use on its Weatheradio Canada service. It is also used to set off receivers in Mexico City and surrounding areas as part of the Mexican Seismic Alert System (SASMEX).
NOAA Weather Radio (NWR), also known as NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, is an automated 24-hour network of VHF FM weather radio stations in the United States which broadcast weather information directly from a nearby National Weather Service office. Its routine programming cycle includes local or regional weather forecasts, synopsis, climate summaries or zone/lake/coastal waters forecasts, and can be shortened to specifically include hazardous weather outlooks, short-term forecasts, special weather statements or tropical weather summaries during hazardous weather events. It occasionally broadcasts other non-weather related events such as national security statements, natural disaster information, environmental and public safety statements such as AMBER Alerts, civil emergencies, fires, evacuation orders, and other hazards sourced from the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Emergency Alert System. NOAA Weather Radio uses automated broadcast technology that allows for the recycling of segments featured in one broadcast cycle into another and for consistent regular updating of segments to each of the transmitters.
An emergency population warning, or public warning system is a method where by local, regional, or national authorities can contact or notify members of the public to warn them of an impending emergency. These warnings may be necessary for a number of reasons, including:
A fire warning is a warning issued through the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the United States by civil authorities to inform the public of major, uncontrolled fires threatening populated areas and/or major roadways. A red flag warning will generally precede any fire activity by at least one to two days. A fire warning will generally include information on the location and movement of the fire, evacuation instructions, and shelter locations.
The Bobby Bones Show is an American, nationally syndicated country music radio show aired during the morning hours. The Bobby Bones Show, which originally aired from Austin, Texas, now broadcasts from studios at WSIX-FM in Nashville. Premiere Networks, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia, syndicated the show internationally in Halifax and Manchester, UK. The program is broadcast on weekdays between 5:00 AM and 10:00 AM Central Time with a "Top 30 Countdown” show aired on Saturday mornings and hosted by Bones. Starting in 2019, a new show called “The Women of iHeartCountry”, was hosted by Bones’s co-host Amy, in which she interviews female country stars, and plays only country songs by female country stars. The show is broadcast between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM Central Time on Sundays. In some radio markets, the show is recorded and heard in the evening; this is especially true in Canada, where it is carried by Bell Media Radio's Pure Country network.
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), formerly known as the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) and, prior to that, as the Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN), is an alerting network in the United States designed to disseminate emergency alerts to cell phones using Cell Broadcast technology. Organizations are able to disseminate and coordinate emergency alerts and warning messages through WEA and other public systems by means of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System.
A National Emergency Message, formerly known until 2022 as an Emergency Action Notification, is the national activation of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) used to alert the residents of the United States of a national or global emergency such as a nuclear war or any other mass casualty situation. This alert can only be activated by the president of the United States or a designated representative thereof, such as the vice president. The Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) also carried the Emergency Action Notification. Except for the 2011 national test, which utilized the Emergency Action Notification alert type, no president has ever issued a National Emergency Message.
The Emergency Action Termination was a message carried by the Emergency Alert System (EAS), and was also carried by the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS). The Emergency Action Termination was meant to cancel a previously issued Emergency Action Notification. It was discontinued as an event code by the FCC in 2012 and EANs are now treated as any other warning.
An emergency communication system (ECS) is any system that is organized for the primary purpose of supporting one-way and two-way communication of emergency information between both individuals and groups of individuals. These systems are commonly designed to convey information over multiple types of devices, from signal lights to text messaging to live, streaming video, forming a unified communication system intended to optimize communications during emergencies. Contrary to emergency notification systems, which generally deliver emergency information in one direction, emergency communication systems are typically capable of both initiating and receiving information between multiple parties. These systems are often made up of both input devices, sensors, and output/communication devices. Therefore, the origination of information can occur from a variety of sources and locations, from which the system will disseminate that information to one or more target audiences.
Evacuation immediate is a warning issued through the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the United States to notify the public of a mandatory evacuation due to a wildfire, approaching hurricane, or an imminent explosion due to a gas leak. It is typically issued by a local or state authority and is relayed by the National Weather Service. The warning can replace a Civil Emergency Message, Fire Warning, or other warnings when required.
A law enforcement warning is a warning issued through the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the United States to warn the public of criminal, and sometimes hazardous weather events that pose a threat to public safety. These include jailbreaks, riots, bomb explosions, and on rare occasions, severe weather events like blizzards. An authorized law enforcement agency may blockade roads, waterways, or facilities, evacuate or deny access to affected areas, and arrest violators or suspicious persons. The warning is usually issued by a law enforcement agency and is relayed by the National Weather Service.
A civil danger warning is a warning issued through the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the United States to warn the public of an event that presents danger to a significant civilian population. It is typically issued by a local or state authority and is relayed by the National Weather Service. The warning usually mentions a specific hazard such as contaminated water supply, active shooting, unexpected weather alert such as causing roads to be extremely dangerous, major accident, or an imminent or in-progress military or terrorist attack. It may also provide instructions for protective action such as to evacuate, shelter-in-place, boil water or seek medical treatment. The warning has a higher priority than a local area emergency (LAE), as well as a Civil Emergency Message (CEM).
The National Public Alerting System, branded as Alert Ready, is the national warning system in Canada, broadcast to Canadian television, radio, and wireless devices.
On the morning of January 13, 2018, an alert was accidentally issued via the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alert System over television, radio, and cellular networks in the U.S. state of Hawaii, instructing citizens to seek shelter due to an incoming ballistic missile. The message was sent at 8:08 a.m. local time and the state had not authorized civil defense outdoor warning sirens to sound.
Emergency Mobile Alerts (EMA) is an alerting network in New Zealand designed to disseminate emergency alerts to mobile devices. Emergency Mobile Alerts are messages about emergencies sent by New Zealand authorised emergency agencies to capable mobile phones. The alerts are sent to participating wireless providers who will distribute the alerts to their customers with compatible devices via Cell Broadcast, a technology best suitable for public warning as it simultaneously delivers messages to all phones using a Mobile Cell tower. Similar solutions are implemented in the United States, The Netherlands (NL-Alert), European Union (EU-Alert), Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Chile, Philippines. One2many B.V. provides this modern Emergency Mobile Alert system including the Cell Broadcast systems and the CAP based centralised Public Warning management system.
On February 11, 2013, the Emergency Alert System of five different television stations across the U.S. states of Montana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and New Mexico were hijacked, interrupting each television broadcast with a local area emergency message warning viewers of a zombie apocalypse. The message was subsequently declared as a hoax by local authorities and was reported to be a result of hackers gaining access to the Emergency Alert System equipment of various television stations.
References
- ↑ "Emergency Alert System (EAS) Plan for Connecticut" (PDF). CTBA. Connecticut Broadcasters Association. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
- ↑ "September 28, 2016 Nationwide EAS Test". Federal Communications Commission. April 21, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
- 1 2 3 Pazinokas, Mark (February 2, 2005). "Connecticut Evacuation: False Alarm". Hartford Courant . Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
- 1 2 "Evacuate! Evacuate! Oh ... nevermind". NBC News . February 1, 2005. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
- ↑ "False alarm in Connecticut evacuation order". UPI . February 2, 2005. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
- 1 2 "Public Reaction to the Erroneous Statewide Broadcast of February 1st, 2005" (PDF). George Washington University . Center for Survey Research and Analysis. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 14, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2017.