| Dear Colleagues;
FEMA wants everyone to know about the upcoming Emergency Alert System (EAS) test and how it may impact them. Please share this message with your communities and through your social networks.
• FEMA Administrator's Message - In English http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6407
• FEMA Administrator's Message - In Spanish http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6408
As part of our larger efforts to strengthen our nation's preparedness and resiliency, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will conduct the first nation-wide test of the Emergency Alert System on November 9th, at 2 p.m. ET. Testing the Emergency Alert System plays a key role in evaluating and improving the systems we need in place to ensure our nation is prepared for all hazards and that people within its borders are able to receive critical and vital information through the system, should it ever be needed. It's important to keep in mind that this is not a pass or fail test of the Emergency Alert System, but an opportunity to improve the system on a national level. Below we have provided a template for both a press release and/or a newsletter that you can use in your organizations to help inform your stakeholders, partners and continuances.
The national Emergency Alert System is an alert and warning system established to enable the President of the United States, if needed, to address the American public during emergencies. It is another critical communications tool that can protect the public and strengthen our nation's resiliency. The National Weather Service, governors, and state and local authorities also use parts of the system to issue more localized emergency alerts. The test is an important exercise in ensuring that the system is effective in communicating critical information to the public in the event of a real national emergency.
This national test will help federal partners and EAS participants determine the reliability of the system, as well as its effectiveness in notifying the public of emergencies and potential disasters both nationally and regionally. The test will also provide the FCC and FEMA a chance to identify improvements that are needed to build a new, modernized, and fully accessible Emergency Alert System.
To help inform, and support the distribution of this information, FEMA has developed a toolkit of useful information which consists of the following examples and video links with additional information about the test.
If you have questions please contact the FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination at FEMA-Disibility-Integration-Coordination@dhs.gov
SHORT ARTICLE FOR NEWSLETTERS/INTERNET SITES
[You can use this content to place information on your websites or to create newsletters about the test]
As part of their ongoing efforts to keep our country and communities safe during emergencies, the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Emergency Management Agency will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The EAS test plays a key role in ensuring the nation is prepared for all hazards, and that the U.S. public can receive critical and vital information, should it ever be needed. The first nationwide test will be conducted Wednesday, November 9 at 2 p.m. ET. This test may last up to three and a half minutes, and will be transmitted via television and radio stations within the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. Similar to local emergency alert system tests, an audio message will interrupt television and radio programming indicating: "This is a test." When the test is over, regular programming will resume. For more information about the nationwide Emergency Alert System test, please visit http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6407 and www.FCC.gov. On November 9 at 2 p.m. EDT, please remember: Don't stress; it's only a test.
• FEMA Administrator's Message - In English http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6407
• FEMA Administrator's Message - In Spanish http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6408
• FEMA Press Release - http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=55722
• FEMA Blog - http://blog.fema.gov/2011/10/emergency-alert-system-test-one-month.html
• FCC Website - http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/emergency-alert-system-nationwide-test |
