Federal and State Partners to Test National Emergency Alert System in Alaska
The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management
Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, the State
of Alaska and the Alaska Broadcasters Association will conduct a
statewide exercise of the Emergency Alert System in Alaska on
Wednesday, January 6, 2010, at 10 am local time (2 pm ET). Radio and
television broadcast stations and cable television systems across the
state of Alaska will participate in the exercise aimed at testing the
capabilities of the EAS system. With the help of the Alaska
Broadcasters Association, public service announcements informing the
public about the test were distributed to television and radio stations
on December 21st.
"Periodically
exercising our communications capabilities is an important step to
ensure that we, as a country, are prepared for an emergency," said FEMA
Administrator Craig Fugate. "This is only a test, but it also serves as
an important reminder that just as our federal, state, and local teams
are taking steps to be prepared, so should families across our country.
Families can log onto Ready.gov to learn the few simple steps they can
take to be prepared for an emergency."
The
EAS is a national public warning system that allows the President to
address the Nation during a national emergency. Parts of the system may
be used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency
information such as AMBER (child abduction) alerts and severe weather
information, and many individuals across the country have already
experienced emergency alerts and tests over broadcast media generated
by their state and local officials. The alert and warning system
includes U.S. broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable
systems, Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) providers,
direct broadcast satellite ("DBS") service providers, and others. The
January 6th exercise will test the Presidential alert and warning
capabilities over radio and television broadcast stations and cable
television systems only.
FCC
Chairman Julius Genachowski said, "The nation's Emergency Alert System
serves an instrumental role in notifying the public of impending or
ongoing emergencies. The Alaska exercise will help determine how to
further improve the nation's alerting system and better prepare us in
our ongoing efforts to implement Next Generation EAS. The FCC welcomes
this opportunity to work with our federal, state, and local partners --
as well as with Alaska EAS participants -- to carry out this regional
exercise."
"I am happy
that Alaska is able to participate in this important test of the
emergency alert system," said Alaska Governor Sean Parnell. "Here in
Alaska we vigorously test our alert systems under extreme conditions.
Alaska is an excellent proving ground for this exercise of the national
system that, in the event of a real emergency, will provide the public
critical information that could increase safety or even save lives."