Federal Communications Commission	DA 19-648



DA 19-648
Released:  July 17, 2019

PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU REMINDS VIDEO PROVIDERS OF REQUIREMENT TO ISSUE ACCESSIBLE EAS ALERTS
PS Docket No. 15-94

The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) reminds analog and digital television broadcast stations, analog and digital cable systems, wireless cable systems, wireline video systems, and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providersSee 47 CFR § 11.51 passim.  Analog class D non-commercial educational FM stations as defined in §73.506 of the rules, digital class D non-commercial educational FM stations, analog Low Power FM (LPFM) stations as defined in §§73.811 and 73.853 of the rules, digital LPFM stations, analog low power TV (LPTV) stations as defined in §74.701(f) of the rules, and digital LPTV stations as defined in §74.701(k) of the rules are not required to have equipment capable of generating the EAS codes and Attention Signal specified in §11.31 of the rules. 
 of the requirement to provide accessible EAS alerts.  

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the FCC, will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on August 7, 2019, at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), with a backup date of August 21, 2019. Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Announces Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System on August 7, 2019 and Opens the EAS Test Reporting System for 2019 Filings, Public Notice, PS Docket 15-94, 2019 WL 2366898 (PSHSB Jun. 3, 2019).
  The 2019 nationwide test will only be disseminated using the hierarchical, broadcast-based distribution “daisy chain” system. See Review of the Emergency Alert System, EB Docket No. 04-296, Sixth Report and Order, 30 FCC Rcd 6520, 6522-23, paras. 4-6 (2015) (describing EAS architecture).  
  

EAS Participants should take necessary steps, in compliance with the Section 11.51 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 11.51 passim.
 to ensure that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and individuals who are blind or visually impaired have full access to EAS messages.  Section 11.51 requires analog and digital television broadcast stations, analog and digital cable systems, wireless cable systems, wireline video systems, and DBS providers to broadcast national-level alerts in a manner that allows individuals with and without disabilities to access the full content. Id.  We note that FEMA has prepared the following public service announcement in American Sign Language that can be shared with your subscribers to provide information about the test:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB6pBe1l7m0&feature=youtube. 
  

Public Feedback. We encourage the public to inform the FCC if they have feedback on EAS tests, including any accessibility concerns in connection with EAS tests, by contacting the Public Safety Support Center at https://www.fcc.gov/general/public-safety-support-center.  

-FCC-
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