FCC: Presidential emergency alerts to be tested

What in the world is this? I have always believed that our current EBS/EAS was sufficient.

"The primary goal is to provide the President with a mechanism to communicate with American public during times of national emergency," said Fowlkes. The change, she said, is that prior to last week's order there was no rule in place to call for or allow a test from top to bottom.

This is very ODD!

There's never been a test from top to bottom where it's issued by FEMA and it goes straight down to all the different levels of EAS to the American public. So this is a way for us to glean, okay, if there were an actual emergency and the federal government needed to activate the Presidential EAS, making sure that it actually works the way it's designed to.

DHS just eliminated our color coded alert system. Is this what we are to expect in the future.

Seems to be quite the rush to get "things" in place.

At the same time, said Fowlkes, the FCC is looking at how wireless broadband could also enhance the EAS as part of a recommendation that was in the FCC's National Broadband Plan from last year.

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www.federalnewsradio.com...

www.fcc.gov...

I can't help but wonder why we would have to hear an alert from the President, in person.

At what point in a national (or even regional) crisis is it necessary for the President to personally become an emergency broadcast announcer?

Theoretical answers buzzing around in my head are somewhat 'unpleasant.'

This is one of those "Good thing I'm not paranoid" moments....


Also, considering the idea of sending wireless broadband alerts would require a capability in the system to 'interrupt' the data stream and 'force' the system to deliver the 'emergency' message.... a change that would theoretically add a 'control' hook into our private devices...

Preparation for October 28, 2011. For some reason that's been coming up all over the place today ... the comet, pole shifts, DarkKnight, The REAL Mayan date, .... Yep, being the paranoid conspiracist that I am, mixed with that date and this information popping up ... I'm thinking there's a connection.

Like was said .. who the heck wants the POTUS to be giving that message anyways?
Like I want to listen to the BS that will come out? No!
I want quick direct TRUTH ... something a POTUS can't deliver on.

My thoughts would be massive natural catastrophe (Yellowstone, New Madrid, impact of comet), mass riots, pandemonium or revolution as being the only reasons that the President would need that automatic direct line of communication.

Now if it is going to be used in modern day Fireside Chats or other propaganda, then it needs to be removed from the toolbox.

Things that make you go, "Hmmm..."

But I wouldn't worry too much. Check this from 2006...

More recently on June 26th of 2006, President Bush issued Executive Order 13407 (Public Alert and Warning System) that directed to the Department of Homeland Security that "… it is the policy of the United States to have an effective, reliable, integrated, flexible, and comprehensive system to alert and warn the American people .... and to ensure under all conditions the President can communicate with the American people."2 www.fcc.gov...

I'm not normally one who believes something's going to happen, but this with all the other bits of information coming out lately... makes me wonder.

Well, this is just another piece of the puzzle coming to light. Put together Clinton pulling home all ambassadors around the world, the whole New Madrid Fault situation, weird and wacky weather from around the world, a magnetic pole shift, and a whole slew of other things of recent interest, and we get a very interesting series of events. Does it mean anything? Maybe, maybe not. Am I concerned? Meh. Not really. Can't stop it, whatever it is, so why worry?


But of course, connecting the dots is part of what every good conspiracy theorist does. Is the Fed preparing for some disaster on a global scale? Alien invasion? World War III? Pole Shift? Zombies? Walt Disney rising from the grave? Bat Boy making a triumphant return?

/comedy


I think you know what I'm getting at. When something walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck. Whatever that "duck" is I have no idea, and I'm not one to speculate. In any case, this is an interesting development. I'll be waiting with baited breath for anything else.


Peace be with you.

-truthseeker

Originally posted by ~Lucidity
Things that make you go, "Hmmm..."

But I wouldn't worry too much. Check this from 2006...

More recently on June 26th of 2006, President Bush issued Executive Order 13407 (Public Alert and Warning System) that directed to the Department of Homeland Security that "… it is the policy of the United States to have an effective, reliable, integrated, flexible, and comprehensive system to alert and warn the American people .... and to ensure under all conditions the President can communicate with the American people."2 www.fcc.gov...

I would think the president would have bigger things to worry about in the event of a huge disaster than telling the people what's going on.

Its coming.

reply to post by warbird03

Well I would think otherwise. He's the leader. It's part of his job. People look to leaders for answers.

All I'm saying is that this provision was made 5 years ago. Testing it now may or may not "mean" something.

Originally posted by ~Lucidity
reply to post by warbird03

 

Well I would think otherwise. He's the leader. It's part of his job. People look to leaders for answers.

All I'm saying is that this provision was made 5 years ago. Testing it now may or may not "mean" something.

I agree with you Lucidity. This provision was made five years ago, so this could mean something big, or it might not mean anything at all. With that being said, however, this is starting to build up to be a conspiracy theorist's wet dream with all of the dots that are being connected. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. That's the best any of us can do.



Peace be with you.

-truthseeker

"The idea is to leverage broadband and the innernet for emergency alerting"
so will this be a shut down of the Internet?
Hay! its only a test......or is it.
remember 9/11.
they where doing a test then to!!!

Originally posted by ~Lucidity
reply to post by warbird03

 

Well I would think otherwise. He's the leader. It's part of his job. People look to leaders for answers.

All I'm saying is that this provision was made 5 years ago. Testing it now may or may not "mean" something.

Come on, he is not a leader. He is an empty suit.

Having the President directly communicate during an emergency would sure make that President look like a leader and in control. Probably a great tool to get re-elected.

I'm guessing the Madrid fault since that's what they seem to be preparing for. Middle of May is my guess around the exercises.

Lunacy. Exactly under what circumstances would the internet still be working if:

A. A giant earthquake destroys us.
B. The Earth flips over on it's butt.
C. A giant something or other zaps us all.

I can imagine it all, the world is falling apart, people are running around in a blind panic and this clown comes on the internet (never mind how this is supposed to happen - what, media player is going to start and there is dear leader lecturing me....again?) and gives us information about how the internet is not working any more because the entire infrastructure is busted like a dumb criminal?

Let them test the stupid thing and when they can't turn the internet back on THEN we have a problem.

reply to post by jibeho


I personally think the current system works fine. I'm living in Hawaii and we have pretty regular tests of the system its effective, concise and well managed.

This country is large - there are very few items that impact the entire country and for those that potentially could, you would certainly want more information that could be provided via some federal alert system.

It does not make any sense and is a waste of money.

Perhaps he wants to read us all bedtime stories.

Fantastic news for the USA

Coordinating Statwide, Local and National if need be while also implementing wired and wireles networks to distribute the information/alerts

Its exactly how it works in Australia now
Our Prime Minister, State Premiers, State Emergency Crew etc issued alerts on TV, Radio and via text messages to local residents effected of the up coming flash flooding and cyclone approaching their area

They kept residents and the nation informed of the situation via press conferences on tv, radio, sms, twitter and facebook, all hands on deck, people kept informed at all times, rumours were quickly dispelled via these social network mediums, ie the state police department via twitter and facebook page

Locals in those areas and the rest of the nation, kept informed at all times, locals would sent twitter feeds who were affected by the floods and cyclones, informing others they were okay, or if they needed assistance, or if someone was missing, local residents also contributed to citizen journalism, local media connected via twitter and facebook also used alot of of the citizen journalism posted on twitter and facebook as part of their coverage

It was brilliant how well organised everything was and more importantly the instant flow of information and instant dispelling of rumours that can sometimes happen

Studies show during disasters, information and recieiving updates and being able to communicate and know what is going on has been vital, Victorian fires a year or so ago told us that at the enquirey, from that enquirey we learned alot and from that implemented a lot of new procedures

Good to see other countries jumping on board

From the Pdf

Federal Communications Commission

www.fcc.gov...

The test will assist the FCC, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Weather Service (NWS), with assessing the current system and better determining what improvements need to be made to further strengthen the Nation’s EAS, particularly as broadband technologies continue to emerge.

The date for the National EAS test has yet to bedetermined, establishing the rules is an important first step in the process.

As Next Generation EAS systems become operational over the next few years, they will complement other
public alert and warning systems now being developed, including:

FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and the Commercial Mobile Alert System
that will enable consumers to receive alerts througha variety of multi-media platforms on their smart-phones, blackberries and other mobile broadband devices.

Stating as technology advances they will implement to their system.. Fantastic

The national test will require EAS participants to be part of the exercise and to receive and transmit a live code that includes a Presidential alert message to their respective viewers and listeners.

The FCC, FEMA and NWS, in coordination with EAS participants, will work together to launch a nationwide EAS Public Education and Awareness Campaign that will include press statements, workshops, regional outreach, and television and radio public service announcements targeted to consumers in general, and more specifically persons with disabilities and seniors, as well as first responders and state, local and tribal governments.

The outreach will help ensure that the American public is aware that the national test will be conducted and the benefits of these kinds of public alerts in a real emergency

Thinking of everything, including running tests, this is fantastic, from that they'll be able to see where they need to fix up loopholes

reply to post by Maxmars

Holy @#$%! Could this be the reason the secret payload was sent out to space a few weeks ago?! It could be a huge satellite with the ability to break through all devices.

reply to post by macman


It would appear so, it sure would.