FCC Issues Lessons Learned From First Ever Nationwide EAS Test
*Posted April 14, 2013**
**
**By Paul A. Cicelski**
**CommonlawCenter.com*
http://www.commlawcenter.com/2013/04/if-you-have-been-reading.html
As our readers are aware, we did a great deal of reporting before and
after the first-ever Nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS) Test
conducted on November 9, 2011. The purpose of that test was to assess
the readiness and effectiveness of the system in the event of an actual
national emergency. Broadcasters, as well as cable, satellite, and
wireline providers across the country (EAS Participants), all took part
in the test. For a quick refresher, see my previous posts on the test
here
<http://www.commlawcenter.com/2011/07/fcc-launces-eas-nationwide-test-webpage.html>,
here
<http://www.commlawcenter.com/2011/10/national-eas-test-raises-interesting.html>,
here <http://www.commlawcenter.com/2011/10/by-paul-a-cicelski-get.html>,
here <http://www.commlawcenter.com/2011/10/by-paul-a-cicelski-as.html>,
and here
<http://www.commlawcenter.com/2011/12/with-the-holidays-upon-us.html>.
Late this past Friday, the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security
Bureau released a report summarizing the outcome of the national test
entitled: /"Strengthening the Emergency Alert System (EAS): Lessons
Learned from the Nationwide EAS Test"
<http://thedcoffice.com/late_releases_files/04-12-2013/DOC-320152A1.pdf>/.
As the FCC and FEMA have made clear on numerous ocassions, the national
EAS test was not intended to be a pass or fail event, but was to be used
to identify and address the limitations of the current EAS. The Report
concludes that the national EAS alert distribution architecture is sound
and that the national test was received by a large majority of EAS
Participants and could be seen and heard by most Americans. The results
of the test show that more than 80 percent of EAS Participants across
the country successfully received and relayed the FEMA test message.
The Report also indicates, however, that there are a number of technical
areas where the system can be improved. According to the Report, among
the problems that impeded the ability of EAS Participants to receive
and/or retransmit the emergency Action Notification (EAN) issued by
FEMA, and of the public to receive it, were:
* Widespread poor audio quality;
* Lack of a Primary Entry Point (PEP) in an area to provide a direct
connection to FEMA;
* Use of alternatives to PEP-based EAN distribution;
* The inability of some EAS Participants either to receive or
retransmit the EAN;
* Short test length; and
* Anomalies in EAS equipment programming and operation.
As a result of its findings, the Report recommends that another
nationwide test be conducted after the FCC commences a number of formal
rulemaking proceedings seeking public comment on steps to improve EAS
related to these and other shortcomings.
In its Report, the Bureau also recommends that, in connection with any
future EAS testing, the FCC develop a new Nationwide EAS Test Reporting
System to improve the electronic filing of test result data. The Report
also encourages the Executive Office of the President to reconvene the
Federal EAS Test Working Group to work with Federal partners and other
stakeholders to use the results of the test to find ways to improve EAS
and plan for future nationwide tests.
Despite the audio problems and other issues identified in the Report
with respect to the nationwide EAS test, the first ever test appears to
have achieved its goal of helping the FCC, FEMA, and EAS Participants
identify areas where EAS can be improved in the event of an actual
emergency. If the recommendations outlined in the Report are implemented
by the FCC, the public will likely have a number of opportunities during
upcoming rulemaking proceedings to provide their input to the FCC on
ways to further improve the reliability of the nation's EAS.
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