[Stoat]

local6.com - News - Fact Sheet New Alert System

 

Fact Sheet: New Alert System

The government will soon be able to send warnings of national emergencies on wireless phones, Web sites and hand-held computers.

NEW ALERT SYSTEM:

• Government will soon be able to send warnings of national emergencies
• Program still in pilot stages
• System expected to be working by end of next year

  PARTICIPANTS:

• Homeland Security Department
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Association of Public Television Stations

  WHERE ALERTS WOULD BE:

   

• Cell phones
• Web sites
• Hand-held computers
• Other wireless devices
• Cable TV channels
• Satellite Radio
• Traditional broadcast outlets

  HOW TRANSMITTED

   

• Text messages
• Audio recordings
• Video
• Graphics

  MORE POSSIBILITIES:

• Could also send detailed information to hospitals, emergency responders

  BACK TO THE FUTURE:

• Updates emergency alerts planned but never used during Cold War
• Those alerts were to have been used in the event of a nuclear strike
• President Harry Truman created nation's first alert system in 1951
• Old system required radio stations broadcast only on certain frequencies during emergencies
• Evolved into the test on TV and radio stations that solemnly intoned: "This is a test of the emergency broadcast system. This is only a test."

  NEW THREATS:

• New Alert system would still warn of nuclear strike
• Could warn of terrorist attacks
• Would probably more often warn of natural disasters

  EXPECTED COST:

• $5.5 million to test and deploy nationally
• Cost expected to be $1 million annually to maintain

  NOT MANDATORY:

• Customers can opt out if they want

  STILL SOME GLITCHES:

• Systems could jam when trying to alert all customers at the same time

   (Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency)

 

Related To Story

 

AP Image

HOMELAND SECURITY

• Quick Facts: Updated Alert System
• Preparedness Tips
• Five Levels Of Alert System
   
  MORE RESOURCES
• Department Of Homeland Security
• Ready.gov
• Red Cross Family Crisis Plan
• Transportation Security Administration
• FEMA: Are You Ready?
   
  CONTACT INFORMATION
  Report suspicious activity to the FBI.
• Web Site: FBI Tips
• Toll-Free Hot Line: (866) 483-5137

 

[Stoat]

What?  It's only projected to cost $5.5 million, and another million per year to maintain....for a GOVERNMENT program??  Must be a typo.....Government programs always cost a minimum of half a billion, don't they?

Oh well, no worries....I will always have my own Homeland Security System anyhow  :-)

 

[KarlInOhio]

Is this going to be like the local emergency systems which are meant for major emergencies but seem to interrupt radio and TV programs every time there's a heavy rain or a child goes missing for five minutes?

[sionnsar]

Could warn of terrorist attacks

Does this mean I can keep my cellphone on in the plane? Or will they call the phone in the seat in front of me? *\;-)

[taxcontrol]

Count me a skeptic, but I would think that a better first step would be to get the alert system working with reverse 911 first.

[backhoe]

Sounds OK to me, but then, I grew up with this:

Cold War Civil Defense - CONELRAD

Information and links to CONELRAD and its successors, EBS and EAS. "At the first indication of enemy bombers approaching the United States, all television and FM radio stations will go off the air. ... standard (AM) stations will likewise go silent. The CONELRAD stations, 640 and 1240, are your surest and fastest ...

www.westgeorgia.org/conelrad

[The Red Zone]

Have it call every single tracfone sold.

[Ciexyz]

And what would they tell me: bend over and kiss your a** goodbye?

[dalereed]

If they do, i'll never get it since I won't open a text message.

No one I know would send one and I sure as hell wouldn't send one.

[daybreakcoming]

Well, as long as they let us know when a car chase in LA is happening.....I'm ok with it.

On a series note, I would rather FR devise some way to alert us to log in (like we weren't already) to an urgent event......like ring a bell or something. An audio ping if you will...

[GOPJ]

bump

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

Those reading FR will know about IT long before your cell phone rings. ;-)

[Salvation]

**We interrupt your cell phone call with this important announcement: The government will soon be sending warnings of national emergencies on wireless phones, Web sites and hand-held computers. **

Sounds OK to me.