1. Alert and Warning April 6, 2004

2. Richard S. Eligan, Jr. April 6, 2004 2 Alert and Warning Overview  Missions  System Description  Testing  Issues  Next Steps

3. Richard S. Eligan, Jr. April 6, 2004 3 Missions  EAS  Provides a national-level contingency telecommunications system to allow the President to speak to the American people during periods of extreme national emergency  Since 1976, the National Weather Service has been using the EAS at the local level to warn communities of impending severe weather  NAWAS  A private telephone system used to convey warnings to Federal, State, and local governments, as well as the military and civilian population

4. Richard S. Eligan, Jr. April 6, 2004 4 EAS Operating Plan National Level Presidential emergency audio message is sent to commercial radio and TV stations for broadcast to the public

5. Richard S. Eligan, Jr. April 6, 2004 5 System Description  34 Primary Entry Point (PEP) radio stations  FOC/FAOC use dedicated landlines to PEPs  HF backup  All radio, TV, cable and satellite stations have ENDECs  95% radio coverage of the CONUS and Hawaii

6. Richard S. Eligan, Jr. April 6, 2004 6 Testing  FEMA conducts weekly and monthly tests  Test messages do not go the public (just PEPs)

7. Richard S. Eligan, Jr. April 6, 2004 7 Issues  How to incorporate new digital technologies?  How to improve survivability and performance?

8. Richard S. Eligan, Jr. April 6, 2004 8 Next Steps  EAS enhancement study  Pilot project for digital EAS in the NCR  Pilot project for reverse 911 alerting  Assist State EAS OPLANs development  Train local officials to use EAS  Continue public education on the EAS