[Infowarrior] - National test of the Emergency Alert System

[Richard Forno]

(Interesting discussion going on elsewhere - why is this being done during the middle of the day instead late at night?  And yes, I've seen conspiracy theories already mentioned from some fringe mouthpieces about this, too.   -- rick)


A national test of the Emergency Alert System
Alvin Williams

October 27, 2011

http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-mobile/a-national-test-of-the-emergency-alert-system

The first national test of the Emergency Alert System is scheduled for Wednesday, November 9th and all participants of the system are required to participate. The participants include TV stations, radio stations, cable TV systems, satellite TV systems, and wireline (telephone line) video systems. Participants classified as non-participating national sources are required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission (the FCC) to participate in the national test, too, even though they may choose not to relay national alerts at other times.

The test is scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM (Central) on November 9th and last about three minutes, which would be longer than a regular monthly test of the Emergency Alert System. The maximum limit for all other alerts, including alerts issued during tests, of the Emergency  Alert System is two minutes.

According to the handbook for the national test, the reason the test is scheduled to be longer than usual is to ensure no equipment locks up after two minutes. No regular weekly tests of the Emergency Alert System will be necessary during the week of Monday, November 7th and no regular monthly tests will be necessary during the month of November either.

According to the weblog for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), managers of the test may choose to delay their participating in the national test if the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) activates the Emergency Alert System to alert their local areas or states of severe weather. According to the current rules and regulations for the Emergency Alert System in the Electronic Code of Federul Regulations, the maximum delay time for a required monthly test of the Emergency Alert System is 60 minutes (filed under Title 47, Part 11, Section 11.51, Paragraph N).

An electronic version of the handbook for the national test was uploaded unto the World Wide Web sites for the Alabama Broadcasters Association and the FCC. The site for the FCC includes audible and visual public service announcements about the national test, questions and answers about the test, and a link to the National Emergency Alert System Test Reporting System for participants to use to provide information about their facilities, Emergency Alert System equipment, and whether they had succeeded or failed in receiving and sending the national test alert to the public through their respective mediums.


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Just because i'm near the punchbowl doesn't mean I'm also drinking from it.