Who owns the emergency alert system

WEA alerts, like EAS alerts, are designed to be sent by local and state authorities for public safety alerts, missing children and imminent threats, such as severe weather. Presidential alerts, unlike other alerts, can be issued by the sitting president for any reason, and Americans cannot opt out. WEA broadcasts emergency notifications through the cell towers of an affected area — such as an area about to be hit by a storm — rather than sending tens of millions of text messages, which would grind the cell networks to a halt.

The emergency alert system, though, is far from perfect. The false warning came as tensions between the U. Security experts have also long warned that the EAS systems pose security risks. Location Help. Pacific Northwest Flood Threat; Alberta Clipper Approaches the Great Lakes The Pacific Northwest continues with a flood threat as heavy rain combined with rising snow levels may result in additional flash flooding and debris flows near burn scars into early next week.

Report Outages View Outages. Alert Information. This code is transmitted three times in quick succession to ensure the system accurately captures the message. The most recent test of the national EAS was conducted on August 11, The purpose of the system is not simply to provide the public with emergency information. The Federal Communications Commission requires broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, satellite digital audio radio service providers, and direct broadcast satellite providers to provide the President with communication capability during a national emergency.

The President, in essence, receives top priority across all modes of communication, so his lines are clear, available, and uninterrupted during a national crisis. These modes of communication have changed over time and include newer technologies the government is building into their emergency plan.

This is a significant distinction from emergency communications of the past, and every organization should take notice. If we look at the tragic events that have happened across our nation since , we can see why a modern, multichannel emergency notification system is needed.

Too many organizations across every sector still rely on outdated emergency plans that have failed to consider the available technology to bring the related communication systems into the 21st century. There may be a perception that the new technology is out of reach for strained budgets, particularly for school districts. Of course, some believe their system is just fine, even if the technology is decades old. The federal EAS has plenty to teach all of us.

We owe it to our employees, students, staff, parents, and all those for whom we are responsible, the same forethought when it comes to protecting them. Organizations can designate teams to work together on their own emergency alert plan. As with these government agencies, the teams may have alternative roles within the company, but they immediately step into their positions when it comes to emergencies. One team can design the plan and work with an IT team to install the right technology to enable seamless communications.

A team of administrators periodically tests the system and activates it when ordered. Each team works in lock-step with one another to ensure the most efficient execution. Not everything happens just the way it was planned. The same thing is true for communication channels. A system may fail, or more probable, your employees use different channels for communicating. Relying only on email or phone trees does not protect those who may be more mobile. If your goal is to reach your audience quickly and reliably, you must take a multi-modal approach.

In that case, your alert system must have multi-channel delivery capabilities to ensure other modes will be successful in relaying the vital information. Phone, email, text messages, push notifications, social media posts, and custom channels can be integrated into an emergency alert app. This will ensure messages can be sent across all channels automatically and simultaneously. The federal EAS is used for more than communicating with the public during a national emergency.

Organizations can do the same and achieve greater ROI in the process. An alert notification system can be integrated with internal HR systems to simplify the process of creating directories and custom lists. Messages, even non-emergency information, can be delivered in real time to employees on the devices they use most frequently.

There are multiple use cases for a corporate Emergency Alert System beyond emergencies, such as delivering information about corporate news and events, reminders, impromptu conference calls, dispatching and scheduling, surveys, and event planning. Whenever a group of employees or the entire workforce needs information, the system is a reliable way to deliver it.

Often, the people on the ground can provide eye-witness accounts and document it on video or in photos from their mobile devices. Equally important is that the communication system can be activated remotely, preferably from a mobile device.