Test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) - what do you think?

[Kathleen in VA]

I've read this several times today. There will be a test of the EAS at 2pm today. There will be a 30 second test on television and radio across the country. I'm wondering if this is really the best way to alert the population to a problem since I never watch tv or listen to the radio. Ever.

 

Am I the only one? Do you think they need to update the system to include internet? Is that even possible? Just wondering what other folks think.

[Julie in Austin]

"I'm wondering if this is really the best way to alert the population to a problem since I never watch tv or listen to the radio."

 

Well, you are in a quite a minority.

 

What do you suggest, then, for alerting people who don't watch/listen?

[Margo out of lurking]

:iagree:

 

I watch Amazing Race and American Idol on tv, otherwise I'm watching videos or streaming. I listen to the radio when I'm in the car.

 

I'm on the internet constantly, probably two dozen times a day.

 

Thanks for the reminder about the alert, I'd hate for my kids to be concerned. Oh but wait, they're definitely not watching tv or listening to the radio. They're on the internet too.;)

[Kathleen in VA]

"I'm wondering if this is really the best way to alert the population to a problem since I never watch tv or listen to the radio."

 

Well, you are in a quite a minority.

 

What do you suggest, then, for alerting people who don't watch/listen?

 

Well, that's pretty much what I was asking. What would be a better way. Kind of want to hear what others think. I already said what I thought - the internet - although I don't know if that's even possible technically speaking.

 

And as for being in the minority - I don't know that that's true, especially at 2pm on a Wednesday. Are most children watching tv or listening to the radio at 2pm on a Wednesday. Are most folks at work watching tv or listening to a radio then?

[Lady Florida.]

 

And as for being in the minority - I don't know that that's true, especially at 2pm on a Wednesday. Are most children watching tv or listening to the radio at 2pm on a Wednesday. Are most folks at work watching tv or listening to a radio then?

 

I think I read somewhere that they specifically chose the time in order to minimize interruption of people's viewing/listening. They'll know if it works without interfering with Glee or DWTS or whatever else people watch. If it's an actual emergency, they will of course interrupt whatever time they need to. Since this is a test though, why do it during prime time and get everyone upset (it could also mess up dvr settings)?

 

I don't disagree though, that maybe they need a way to alert people who don't watch tv and/or who don't have a landline. Is there a reverse 911 for cellphones? I read that this test will not be heard over weather radios. We have one of those. In a real emergency, would they use weather radios in addition to broadcast radio and tv?

 

I'm one who doesn't watch much tv even at night, and most of what I watch is on streaming anyway. Ds rarely watches. Dh is a tv addict. We all only listen to the radio when in the car (we listen to our iPods or cd's at home). So, if a real emergency occurs, I hope it happens when I'm driving, or at night when dh is home sitting in front of the tube. If not, I'll be clueless. :lol:

[ondreeuh]

I don't watch TV or listen to the radio either. I'm quite inside a little bubble. I suppose that enough people would get on Facebook to talk about the alert that I'd hear about it soon enough.

 

I wonder if there are people who don't listen to the radio, don't watch tv, AND don't use the internet? Of course I'm sure there are, but it seems like a generational split and more than likely people use one of those forms of media.

[Tammyla]

We keep the tv off during the day, and almost never listen to the radio in the house...so we will miss the tv/radio test.

 

People always seem to have their cell phones with them and most computers are on even when not in use.

 

Our city has public address / tornado sirens all over the place. I wonder if they'll blast those for the test here?

[Lara in Colo]

I think there is enough word of mouth that we could get those that don't have the Tv or radio on a heads up.

 

another way is to have every cell phone send a text, but that would probably add another tax to my cell phone bill, and have children (who have cells) know adult warnings.

[Kathleen in VA]

We have a local alert system where automatic phone calls are put out to each home. That's another layer. But it's not perfect because if you don't have a land line and the power goes out you won't be notified that way.

 

I think it's better than nothing. Should we not attempt to alert people just because it's possible some people won't be alerted?

 

I can't think of a better way.

 

Yes, anything is, of course, better than nothing. I don't remember suggesting not having any kind of alert at all.

 

Just putting this out there for any and all to contemplate the possibility of finding another or an additional way. I'm on my computer a lot. I see folks with smart phones everywhere. The only place I've seen tv in the past year or so is while sitting in a waiting room in a doctor's office.

 

Oh, and I appreciate their concern for not wanting to interrupt evening programming - that certainly makes sense.

 

I guess I'm really out of the ordinary then, not being a tv watcher or radio listener.

[Krista in LA]

I don't even see why this is necessary. We already have the emergency broadcast system - why would they not just use that rather than implementing a whole new layer of stuff? Couldn't they just notify the local authorities/media and then have it broadcast through the EBS instead? What am I missing besides the obvious?

[Lady Florida.]

I don't even see why this is necessary. We already have the emergency broadcast system - why would they not just use that rather than implementing a whole new layer of stuff? Couldn't they just notify the local authorities/media and then have it broadcast through the EBS instead? What am I missing besides the obvious?

 

Actually the EBS was replaced by the EAS 14 years ago. The purpose of the test of the current system is the first step in bringing our alert system into the 21st century. The original was put in place in the 1950's, updated in the 1960's, and updated again in the 1990's. None of those upgrades included the digital world we live in now. Here's a better explanation.

[Kathleen in VA]

Actually the EBS was replaced by the EAS 14 years ago. The purpose of the test of the current system is the first step in bringing our alert system into the 21st century. The original was put in place in the 1950's, updated in the 1960's, and updated again in the 1990's. None of those upgrades included the digital world we live in now. Here's a better explanation.

 

Thanks for that link!

 

But perhaps the overriding reason to test the existing system: It is a necessary first step toward the longer-term goal of building an advanced digital system that can send alerts over the Internet and directly to cellphones, emergency broadcast experts say.

 

"Today's test is a major step forward toward a better system," says Dennis Mileti from the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder. "What we've got today is not by any means a perfect warning system. Our alerting capacity is definitely going up at a national level with this test, but our warning capacity – that is, the ability to motivate the public to take protective action – needs a lot more work."

 

 

This makes sense.

[radiobrain]

Can I tell you how it happened here (I don't know if this was the same anywhere else)?

 

We're in the car..... 2 standard emergency beeps then dead air for about 40 seconds then 2 more beeps, more dead air. Another set of beeps, then the audio from CAILLOU (how do you spell that stupid name!!??) comes on. :confused: It goes on for maybe 3 minutes, then 2 more beeps, some dead air and then the 2:00 news came on.

 

WHAT WAS THAT? CALLIOU?!!!

 

Proof that when the government tries to do something to cover the whole country, it fails in some sort of way.