STATE
OF WASHINGTON
EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM
Approved by the
Federal Communications Commission, March
3, 1997
November 14 , 2007
Present: Terry Spring-KWPX-TV; Phil Johnson-CPS LECC; Clay Freinwald-Various Entities; Jim Tharp-Bonneville; Don Miller-WSEM; Don White-KCPQ/KMYQ; Ted Buehner-NWS Seattle; Roland Robinson-Bates Technical College
Via Phone: Arthur Willets-KWDK-TV; Tyree Wilde-NWS Portland; Dennis Hull-NWS Pendleton
Clay called the meeting to order and introductions were made.
Several members of the committee attended and testified at the recent FCC Media Ownership meeting in Seattle. It was a typical Seattle crowd. The local community wants diversity and localism and they are not happy about consolidation. The governor spoke, as did sever members of our congressional delegation. Mark Allen represented the broadcasters and Don Miller told of the need for local participation during emergencies.
See
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgibin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=fcc10&date=20071110&query=FCC and
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_fcc_hearing.html.
For a guest editorial from Mark Allen see http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=broadcasters08&date=20071108&query=FCC.
Clay reported on the meeting that was held on October 17 between the SBE, NAB, and NASBA and FEMA, FCC, and NWS. The meeting was chaired by Clay and fell under the FACA rules which govern meetings with government entities.
See http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?programId=9140&channelId=-13171&ooid=9755&contentId=11869&pageTypeId=8203&contentType=GSA_BASIC&programPage=
%2Fep%2Fprogram%2FgsaBasic.jsp&P=MC.
FEMA was questioned, but could only respond in generalities. The main results if the meeting were that it was a great foundation for the future and the SBE and NAB are starting to work with FEMA so there will likely be progress made. FEMA does want to work with us, and they are talking to the FCC and NWS. In other notes from the meeting, beware of CAP compliant equipment that is currently coming on the market. Standards have not been set and it could be made obsolete soon. The 180 clock that is mentioned in the NPRM has not started yet. It will almost certainly mean 100% replacement of existing EAS equipment. The question is, who will pay, the broadcasters or the government. There is some money reserved from the FCC spectrum sales for Emergency Management. Also,
broadcasters are wary of the new rule that state governors can issue mandatory EAS alerts. They are afraid of over use. We should know more in a year of how things are going to go. The wireless industry also has their own issues with implementing the new rules. The next meeting will probably be in the middle of January.
A meeting was held with the Coast Guard Public Affairs Department. They now have a better idea of how EAS works. They will be working with the state emergency management on how to input their information into the system.
The Disaster Information Reporting (DIRS) system was discussed. It is a web based reporting system that is voluntary at the local level.
For a primer see http://www.sbe24.org/eas/dirs.asp. The information collected is made available to the state emergency management. Broadcasters should take a look at it to see if they want to become involved with it. The DIRS site is
https://www.fcc.gov/nors/disaster/Login.cfm. You must register in order to access the site.
The Katrina Panel Report has been issued. The key points are requiring generator back ups at cell sites, EAS enhancements, and credentialing of broadcast personnel. Also mentioned is the possibility of using the data capability of Qualcomm, the nation-wide provider of video to mobile devices.
See http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-13488.pdf.
Nine of the new internet CAP compliant EAS boxes have been distributed in Eastern Washington. Most of the four remaining boxes will be used in the WSU radio network. They are easily upgradable. The new SAGE unit will probably be cheaper. It will allow the state to buy more boxes with the money available.
In Eastern Washington, EAS messages are distributed on the KHQ SAP channel. This will no longer exist after the digital transition. Also, what will happen to the KHQ translators? This distribution system will be replaced by the internet. The state EM will be receiving alerts from XM Satellite. Redundancy is needed because the internet is subject to "backhoe fade". There is a possibility that local entities could gain access to the XM network.
There has been little response to the decision making concern that was raised at the last meeting. This will be revisited in the future.
In the Columbia Gorge, a local plan has been written and is in the process of being adopted by Oregon. It is modeled after the Clark County (Vancouver WA) plan.
We still need representation on the SECC from the cable industry.
The 2008 EAS Test Schedule was submitted by Roland Robinson. Fewer than half the local areas responded despite some prodding. The schedule was distributed on the remailer. There are still some holes that need to be filled in.
The radio station in Forks had some SAGE problems. The battery died, which mean the clock reset to 1995. The batteries in the EAS units need to be replaced periodically. Dead batteries can cause different bizarre behaviors, depending on the unit.
The Algona AMBER alert was discussed. It did not meet the criteria. It will be reviewed at the county level on November 29 and at the state level during the next review meeting. Phil Johnson, Central Puget Sound local chair will be writing a letter to the state advisory committee stating some reservations about the current system and suggesting that things could be done better. Send comments to him at p_johnson58@msn.com prior to November 26. You can also send comments to him for the county review meeting by November 28. Algona is part of the King County plan, and they are supposed to follow it. Should there be a "gatekeeper" at the county level? There are advantages and disadvantages to that. There are about 250 different organizations state-wide interpreting the criteria for alerts. Due to home rule, all jurisdictions are independent and not controlled by the state. The Washington State Patrol does not necessarily want the gate keeper job either due to liability issues.
KRLF had a problem with their box decoding out of area alerts or tests. Clay will follow up.
There was a report of bad RMT audio in the Columbia Basin. Don could find nothing wrong with the SRN. When reporting problems, please be specific as to sources, times, and other information that would help us find out where the problem is.
KWPX requested a change of monitoring assignment. The committee approved the substitution of the SRN for KIRO. Monitoring assignments were also made for KLSY in Raymond. They will monitor the SRN and the NWS (on 162.475). They will be asked to also monitor the LRN.
Clay handed out some press packets for Alert FM, a system that uses FM sub-carriers to transmit NOAA and FEMA Alerts. It was developed by Global Security Systems, the same company that does the AMBER portal. A special receiver is needed to decode the signal. See www.alertfm.com.
CAP text messages can be fed directly in to a RDS encoder and be received on radios that have RDS capability.
FEMA now has an EAS Liaison. He has been visiting the state Emergency Management and EAS systems.
Phil Johnson has been making the rounds visiting the Emergency Management Centers with EAS equipment in the Central Puget Sound Area. He will continue after the holidays.
At the NWS, the September Flash Flood Warning from Pendleton was sent accidentally due to some bad instructions. It was supposed to be a training exercise. The September RMT was not transmitted by the new Blaine weather radio station. A lightening strike fried the phone line feeding programming to the transmitter. Once again, the Weather Service does not do the Wednesday RWT when there is severe weather going on. Just make a note on the EAS log as to why a weekly test was not received. The weather service office at Sand Point is still having difficulty receiving the SRN. They did pick up and relay the Algona AMBER alert from that source, however. The new weather radio station on the Upper Cowlitz River is progressing. Papers have been signed for the site. They are waiting for the licenses for the radio links that will carry the programming.
The new FCC NPRM may require broadcast stations to carry all alerts. What about obvious mistakes? Broadcasters should be able to use their judgment on whether to air an alert or not.
There is a new low power AM in Redmond. It will be used for emergency messages. It will carry NWS weather radio at other times.
Don't forget to make sure EAS boxes have made the change to Pacific Standard Time.
Here are the tentative dates for the SECC meetings for 2008:
January 9th
March 12th
May 14th
July 9th
September 10th
November 12th
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, January 9th, at 9:30 AM at Camp
Murray.
Terry Spring
Chief Engineer
KWPX Seattle
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