November 4, 2006

Present:

Terry Spring-KWPX TV
Brian Daly-Cingular Wireless
DeWayne Sennett-Cingular Wireless
Andrew A. Hendrickson-FEMA
Ted Buehner-NWS Seattle
Clay Freinwald-Entercom
James Tharp-Entercom
T. J. McDonald-Seattle Emergency Management
Don Miller-WSEM
Roland Robinson-Bates Technical College
Dana Davis-Bates Technical College
Vasidi Litviniuc-Bates
John Monroe-Bates
Adam Martin-Bates
Beau Stenkamp-Strahm-Bates

By phone:

Kerry Jones-NWS Spokane
Bob Wyatt-KSPS-TV Spokane
Peter O'Donnell-KING TV
Gary Grossman-Columbia Gorge LECC
Dave Hallaran-San Juan County EM
Tom Sharp-Pierce County EM
Joe Caron-Pierce County 911
Dan Good-Snohomish County
Dennis Hull-NWS Pendleton
Charlie Osgood-Wenatchee
Don White-KCPQ TV
Anne Sullivan-Grays Harbor County EM
Art Blum-KONA Tri Cities
Tyree Wilde-NWS Portland
Peggy Fonts-Grays Harbor County 911
Ned Worchester-Seattle Public Utilities

The meeting was held at the NWS/NOAA facility at Sand Point. Introductions were made. Andy Hendrickson was on the original EAS committee. He is now back representing FEMA. KKOL is now broadcasting from Tacoma. It was on a boat in Elliot Bay. KIKN-AM in Port Angeles has gone silent as part of the KOL upgrade. The minutes of the last meeting are OK.

A revised tab index for the state plan was distributed. It shows Tab 8. It will be on the WSAB web site in the not too distant future. It takes time because the WSAB web site is run by volunteers.

In old business, the link between the North and Central Puget Sound areas is still in progress.

In new business, Clay is facing a job change. He has moved his EAS stuff from Entercom and taken it home. He has changed his contact info. Don Miller will keep back up files for the tabs and other important documents. He will continue with the SECC for now.

An accidental Tsunami alert was let loose in Grays Harbor. An operator chose the wrong code during a training exercise. It did not get relayed locally. It was received at KIRO, but they did not relay it. It was recommended that a local meeting be set up to find out why the Aberdeen area stationed did not receive the alert. The same stations did receive the RMT the next day.

The local areas should be meeting regularly to iron out local problems, not just when there is a crisis. But it has to be kept in mind that anything not required is voluntary. Also, most stations have no idea how their boxes are programmed. Don Miller will check the programming of any station that asks. There might be times when different originators than normal might originate alerts. For example, the state might originate weather alerts if the NWS is down. Some EAS boxes have been programmed to relay events only from specific sources.

Pierce County had the state originate an evacuation alert during the flood. There was no comment on the remailer, so it must have been okay. Don't use the remailer just for gripes. Let everyone know if something goes right. Feedback is important. It also lets the adjacent areas know what is going on.

Tab 2 has blanks for some local chairs. Volunteers are needed. Tab 2 will be on the remailer. Please check your local area and update the information.

Don Miller reported that EMD has the money for converting Eastern Washington to the new web based system. It will feed the EAS boxes like any other source. He would like to do 2 stations in each market. He is working on getting money from the state for next year. The new system complements the NWS HazCollect system. The goal is to have better audio quality by eliminating the two way radio links. It will give the TV stations more detailed CG info and text that will appear on PDA's, cell phones, pagers, etc.

In the past, the state has offered an Emergency Management Performance Grant. If it is offered again, the SECC will consider applying for it. One possibility is that we could hire someone to give technical assistance.

The AMBER Alert Portal Consortium meeting was held October 2 & 3 in Scottsdale Arizona. The portal is now owned by a new Company, Global Alerts, LLC. They had a presentation from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and how it could complement the AMBER program. They discussed AMBER alerts crossing state boundaries and child ID kits. They discussed the effect of any changes that are made to the EAS system. They are also interested in finding out how the portal can be improved.

At the regional AMBER meeting in Boise, they reviewed the AMBER alerts that have happened since the last meeting. There have been several successful conclusions to the alerts.

The Tri Cities has been working on their RMT schedule for next year. They have special requirements due to the Hanford alert radios. They are trying to be more in line with the rest of the state.

At the National Weather Service, the new transmitter in Blaine has been well received. The Capital Peak transmitter that serves Olympia is due to be replaced. Also due for replacement is the Spout Springs transmitter that is fed from Pendleton.

The wireless industry will be broadcasting emergency alerts on wireless devices. This is to comply with the WARN act. The FCC will be issuing a report and order. A committee has been formed to make recommendations. The alert info will come from DTV transmitters.

The final 2007 RMT schedule has been distributed on the remailer. It was approved by the SECC.

KKOL (1300) is now on the air from their new site in Tacoma. The station in Port Angeles on 1290 was taken off the air as part of their move. Previously they transmitted from a boat anchored in Elliot Bay.

Entercom has periodic EAS meetings for training purposes. They also have a handbook that has instructions on running a Sage ENDEC. If interested, Clay will send you a copy.

On October 20, Don Miller ran the RMT from Switzerland using the My States web interface.

The next meeting will be January 10 at the State EMD at Camp Murray at 9:30 AM.

Terry W. Spring
Chief Engineer
KWPX TV33 Seattle
An Affiliate of ION Media Networks
(425) 222-6010 X203 (office)
(425) 222-6032 (fax)

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