2 
 
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system that 
requires broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, 
wireline video providers, satellite digital audio radio service providers and 
direct broadcast satellite service providers to make their communications 
facilities available to the President during a National emergency.  The 
system also may be used by state and local authorities to deliver important 
emergency information such as AMBER alerts and severe weather warnings 
targeted to specific geographical regions or areas. 
 
This handbook provides EAS participants summary instructions for 
conducting EAS notifications and tests of national, state and local alerts.   
 
This handbook should be located at each operator position and should be 
immediately available to staff responsible for authenticating and initiating 
emergency action notifications, termination notices, alerts and tests. 
 
 
For more detailed information, refer to the FCC’s EAS rules and regulations 
at 47 C.F.R. Part 11.  
 
3 
 
Helpful Information ……………………………………….…….....4 
 
National Activation Procedures …………………………………6 
Activated by the President 
 
National Termination Procedures………..……………….……18 
 
State and Local Activation Procedures……………………….23 
Activated by State and Local Officials or others 
 
State and Local Termination Procedures...…….…………….27 
 
Monthly and Weekly EAS Test……………………………….....29 
Activated according to State and Local plan 
4 
 
EAS Designation 
 
EAS instructions vary for each particular designation.  Broadcast stations are designated as either participating or non-participating 
stations.  Most broadcast stations have elected to participate in EAS and are designated as Participating National (PN) stations.  A 
small number of broadcast stations, however, have elected not to participate in the national level EAS and hold an FCC 
authorization letter to that effect.  Non-participating stations are designated as Non-Participating National (NN) stations.   
 
The EAS transmissions of national, state and local emergencies by PN sources are intended for direct public reception. (47 C.F.R. 
Section 11.18(e)).  All stations, including NN stations, are required to install and test EAS equipment.  Upon activation of the 
national level EAS, NN stations are required to broadcast the EAS codes, Attention Signal, and the sign-off announcement in this 
handbook, and then stop operating until the end of message code is received.  (47 C.F.R. Section 11.18(f).)    
 
Monitoring Requirements 
 
All EAS participants must monitor two EAS sources.  The monitoring assignments are specified in the EAS State Plans and are 
determined according to FCC monitoring priorities.  If the required EAS sources cannot be received, alternate arrangements or a 
waiver may be obtained by written request to the FCC.  In an emergency, a waiver may be issued by the FCC over the telephone 
with a follow-up letter to confirm temporary or permanent reassignment.  (47 C.F.R. Section 11.52) 
 
EAS Equipment Readiness  
 
EAS participants are required to test their ability to receive and distribute EAS messages and to keep records of all tests.  EAS 
participants are responsible for ensuring that encoders, decoders and signal generating equipment used as part of the EAS are 
installed so that the monitoring and transmitting functions are available during the times that the station is in operation.  In addition, 
EAS participants must determine the cause of any failure to receive the required tests or activations specified in Section 11.61(a)(1) 
and (a)(2) and indicate in the station’s EAS log why the tests were not received.  These logs must be retained for two years at the 
EAS participant’s headquarters and must be made available for public inspection upon reasonable request.  
 
In the event the EAS equipment becomes defective, a broadcast station may operate without the equipment pending its repair or 
replacement for a period not to exceed 60 days.  If repair or replacement of defective equipment is not completed within 60 days, 
participants must submit an informal request for additional time to their assigned FCC field office.  The request must include an 
explanation of what steps have been taken to repair the equipment.   (47 C.F.R. Section 11.35(b) & (c)).  Entries must be made in 
the participant’s logs showing the date and time the equipment was removed and restored to service.   
For more information on EAS, contact the Federal Communications Commission at our toll-free number (888) CALL FCC or (888) 225-5322 or 
visit our EAS website at http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/eas/Welcome.html  
5 
 
 
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6 
 
Automatic and Manual Operation 
 
You will see the words “Emergency Action Notification” 
on the broadcast station EAS decoder display. 
 
You will hear the following Emergency Action 
Notification message from the EAS decoder. 
1 
 
Receive the 
Emergency 
Action 
Notification 
(EAN) message  
 Emergency Action Notification Audio 
 Message 
 
This is an Emergency Action Notification requested by 
the White House.  All EAS participants will follow 
activation procedures in the EAS Operating Handbook 
for a national level emergency.  The President of the 
United States or his representative will shortly deliver a 
message over the Emergency Alert System. 
(All Stations) 
(47 C.F.R. §11.54) 
7 
 
For Manual Operation 
Cease all programming and prepare to transmit the 
following announcement. 
We interrupt our programming; this is a 
national emergency. 
 
Broadcast this Announcement 
 
 
This announcement may be made in the primary language of 
the station. 
2 
 
Interrupt 
normal 
programming 
 
3 
 
 
 
Transmit this 
announcement: 
(All Stations) 
8 
 
For Automatic Operation 
EAS equipment will retransmit header codes and the 
attention signal. 
 
For Manual Operation 
Use the EAS encoder to retransmit the header codes and the 
attention signal. 
4 
 
Transmit the 
EAS header 
codes followed 
by the attention 
signal. 
TV Stations must visually and aurally transmit 
header code data. 
(All Stations) 
9 
 
 
 
 
Participating  
Stations: 
 
 
Follow Steps 5 - 9 of the National Activation 
Procedures. 
 
 
Non-Participating 
Stations: 
 
 
Follow Steps 10 - 11 of the National Activation 
Procedures. 
(All Stations) 
10 
 
Broadcast this Announcement 
 
 
This is an Emergency Action Notification. All broadcast 
stations and cable systems shall transmit this Emergency 
Action Notification Message. This station has interrupted 
its regular programming at the request of the White House 
to participate in the Emergency Alert System. 
 
During this emergency, most stations will remain on the air 
providing news and information to the public in assigned areas. 
This is (station call name). We will continue to serve the (EAS 
Local Area name) area. If you are not in this Local Area, you 
should tune to stations providing news and information for your 
Local Area. You are listening to the Emergency Alert System 
serving the (EAS Local Area name) area. 
 
Do not use your telephone.  The telephone lines should be kept 
open for emergency use. 
5 
 
Participating 
Stations 
 
(Participating Stations) 
11 
 
Select your monitoring source in the following order: 
 
 
1.  Local Primary Source (LP) 
?  LP-1 and LP-2 of your EAS Local Area 
 
(if unavailable) 
 
2. State Relay Source (SR) 
?  SR source for the State Relay Network 
 
(next) 
 
3. Any other broadcast station or any other 
available source 
6 
 
Monitor the 
following 
sources for 
further 
instructions 
(Participating Stations) 
12 
 
The priorities for EAS messages are: 
During a national emergency, the facilities of all EAS participants 
must be reserved exclusively for distribution of Presidential 
Messages. 
First Presidential messages take 
priority over any other message 
Second Local Area messages 
Third State messages 
Fourth National Information Center 
(NIC) messages 
7 
 
Transmit 
emergency 
messages as 
soon as they 
are available 
(47 C.F.R. §11.44) 
(Participating Stations) 
13 
 
Broadcast this Announcement 
 
We interrupt our programming at the request of the White 
House. This is the Emergency Alert System.  All normal 
programming has been discontinued during this emergency. 
 
This is (station call name). This station will continue 
furnishing news, official information and instructions for the 
(EAS Local Area name) area. 
 
If you are not in (EAS Local Area name) area, you should 
tune to stations providing news and information for your area. 
It is important that you listen carefully to announcements 
from the station in your local area. 
REPEAT 
Manual Operation 
8 
 
Transmit this 
standby script 
until 
emergency 
messages are 
available 
(Participating Stations) 
14 
 
Transmit the 
End of Message 
Code 
 
 
Log 
 
 
 
 
Monitor 
For Automatic Operation 
The EAS encoder is programmed to automatically transmit the 
End of Message (EOM) code. 
 
For Manual Operation 
Manually transmit the End of Message (EOM) code with the 
EAS encoder. 
 
1. Log the time and date the Emergency 
Action Notification is received at your 
station; 
 
2. Monitor your EAS source for the 
Emergency Action Termination Message; 
 
3. When the Emergency Action Termination 
message is received on the EAS decoder, 
follow the National Termination Procedures 
included in this handbook. 
9 
 
After the 
Presidential 
message: 
(Participating Stations) 
15 
 
For Manual Operation transmit the following: 
 
 
 
 
 
This Announcement 
should be pre-recorded 
if automatic operation is 
used. 
Broadcast this Announcement 
 
This is an Emergency Action Notification. This station has 
interrupted its regular programming at the request of the 
White House to participate in the Emergency Alert System. 
 
During this emergency, most stations will remain on the air 
providing news and information to the public in assigned 
areas. 
 
This is (station call name). We will be discontinuing 
programming. You should now tune to stations providing 
news and information for your Local Area. 
 
This station will be discontinuing programming. 
 
Do not use your telephone.  The telephone lines should be 
kept open for emergency use.   
REPEAT ANNOUNCEMENT 
10 
 
Transmit this 
announcement 
(Non-Participating Stations) 
16 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Log 
 
 
 
 
Monitor 
For Automatic Operation 
The EAS encoder is programmed to automatically transmit the  
EOM code. 
 
For Manual Operation 
null Manually transmit the EOM code with the EAS encoder. 
null Sign Off. 
null Remove the carrier from the air. 
 
1. Log the time and date the Emergency 
Action Notification is received at your 
station. 
 
2. Monitor your EAS source for the 
Emergency Action Termination Message. 
When the Emergency Action Termination message is 
received on the EAS decoder, follow the National  
Termination Procedures included in this handbook. 
11 
 
Transmit the 
End of 
Message (EOM)
code 
(Non-Participating Stations) 
17 
 
 
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18 
 
Automatic and Manual Operation 
 
You will see the words “Emergency Action Termination” 
on the broadcast station EAS decoder display. 
 
You will hear the following Emergency Action 
Termination message from the EAS decoder. 
Emergency Action Termination Message 
 
This concludes operations under the Emergency 
Alert System.  All normal programming operations may 
now resume. 
1 
 
Receive the 
Emergency 
Action 
Termination 
 
Non-
Participating 
Stations: 
 
 
Resume normal programming and go to Step 2 
 
(All Stations) 
19 
 
EAS Header Codes 
 
 
Attention Signal 
For Automatic Operation 
The EAS encoder will automatically transmit your EAS 
header code and attention signal. 
 
 
 
For Manual Operation 
Use your EAS encoder to transmit the EAS header code. 
 
 
Use your EAS encoder to transmit the EAS attention signal. 
2 
 
Transmit the 
EAS header 
codes and 
attention 
signal. 
TV Stations must visually and aurally transmit 
header code data. 
(All Stations) 
20 
 
For Manual Operation  
Use the EAS encoder to transmit this announcement: 
Broadcast this Announcement 
 
 
This concludes operations under the Emergency Alert 
System.  All normal programming operations may now 
resume. 
REPEAT ANNOUNCEMENT 
3 
 
Transmit this 
announcement 
(All Stations) 
21 
 
For Automatic Operation 
The EAS encoder will automatically transmit the EOM 
code. 
For Manual Operation 
Use the EAS encoder to transmit the EOM code. 
Resume normal programming. 
Log receipt of emergency message. 
Record the time that the Emergency Action Termination 
Notice was received in records/logs. 
4 
 
Transmit the 
End of 
Message (EOM)
code 
5 
 
Resume 
programming 
6 
 
Log 
(All Stations) 
22 
 
 
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23 
 
The EAS may be activated 
at management’s discretion 
in connection with day-to-
day emergency situations 
posing a threat to life and 
property.  These activations 
may be performed at the 
State or Local Area level by 
any EAS participant. 
 
All State and Local 
procedures must follow 
dictates of State plans and 
FCC rules. 
EMERGENCY: 
A situation posing an extraordinary threat to the safety 
of life and property.  Examples include, but are not 
limited to:  1) natural situations such as tornadoes, 
flash floods, icing conditions, heavy snows, fires, and; 
2) man-made situations such as discharge of hazardous 
materials, power failures, industrial explosions, civil 
disorders, and nuclear incidents. 
 
SEVERE WEATHER WATCH: 
A severe weather WATCH indicates that the 
probabilities of a particular severe weather storm are 
high, and is an alert to the public of such severe 
weather conditions. 
 
SEVERE WEATHER WARNING: 
A severe weather WARNING indicates that a 
particular severe weather storm actually has been 
sighted in an area or is indicated by radar, and serves 
notice to the public that severe weather conditions are 
almost certain to occur. 
(All Stations) 
(47 C.F.R. §11.55) 
24 
 
STATE LEVEL OFFICIAL:  A request for activation may 
be directed to the State Primary (SP) source by the 
Governor, his designated representative, the National 
Weather Service, or the State Office of Emergency Services.  
Other designated government officials may be found in your 
State EAS Plan. 
 
LOCAL LEVEL OFFICIAL:  A request for activation may 
be directed to the Local Primary (LP) source by the National 
Weather Service, Local Emergency Management or Public 
Safety Officials.  Other designated government officials may 
be found in your Local EAS Plan. 
 
EAS Decoder Display 
You will see the emergency message on the decoder display. 
 
Authenticate the request for activation according to the EAS 
State or Local Area Plan. 
 
The following sources do not require authentication: 
null National Weather Service 
null NOAA Weather Radio 
null NOAA Weather Wire 
1 
 
Receive 
requests for 
EAS activation 
by any of these 
methods: 
2 
 
Authenticate 
EAS message 
 
State Primary (SP) 
or the Local 
Primary (LP) 
sources 
(All Stations) 
25 
 
For Automatic Operation  
Programming may be interrupted shortly after you hear 
the incoming message.  Procedures may vary according to 
station policy. 
 
For Manual Operation  
Record or store the message unless programming is interrupted 
to allow the emergency message to be transmitted live. 
Broadcast this Announcement 
 
We interrupt this program because of a 
(State or Local) emergency. 
 
Important information will follow. 
 
 
3 
 
Transmit State/
Local EAS 
opening 
message 
(All Stations) 
26 
 
For Automatic Operation 
EAS equipment will retransmit header codes and the 
attention signal. 
 
For Manual Operation 
Use the EAS encoder to retransmit the header codes and the 
attention signal. 
For Automatic Operation 
EAS equipment will transmit the emergency message. 
 
For Manual Operation 
Transmit the emergency message (live or from storage) 
over the air. 
 
If the emergency is ongoing, advise your audience 
to stay tuned for more messages. 
4 
 
Transmit the 
EAS header 
codes followed 
by the attention 
signal 
5 
 
Transmit the 
emergency 
message 
TV stations must visually and aurally transmit 
header code data. 
(All Stations) 
27 
 
For Automatic Operation 
The EAS equipment will switch to normal programming 
when the EOM is received. 
For Manual Operation 
Transmit the EOM and follow station procedures to resume 
normal programming. 
6 
 
Transmit the 
End of 
Message (EOM) 
code &  
resume regular 
programming 
 
 
(All Stations) 
7 
 
Log 
Log receipt of emergency message. 
Record the time that the Emergency Action Termination 
notice was received in records/logs. 
28 
 
 
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29 
 
Weekly Tests 
 
 
 
 
Monthly Tests 
Weekly tests consist of transmitting the EAS digital header codes and 
end of message (EOM) codes, once each week. 
 
Weekly tests must be conducted by EAS participants on different days 
and at different times. 
Monthly tests consist of transmitting: 
null EAS digital header codes; 
null the two-tone attention signal; 
null a brief test script and EOM code; 
null a visual display of header code data. 
 
Monthly tests must be retransmitted within 60 minutes of receipt. 
Odd/Even Months:   
null In odd months, monthly tests must be conducted between 8:30 a.m. to 
local sunset. 
null In even months, monthly tests must be conducted between local 
sunset to 8:30 a.m.  
 
(All Stations) 
(47 C.F.R. §11.61) 
EAS tests are required by FCC Rules and must follow  
FCC Rule requirements 
30 
 
 
Substitution of 
weekly and 
monthly tests 
 
 
Failure to 
receive an EAS 
test 
 
 
 
Failure to send 
an EAS test 
NO WEEKLY TEST IS NECESSARY during the week that a monthly test is conducted or 
when there is an EAS activation for a State or Local emergency. 
 
NO MONTHLY TEST IS NECESSARY during a month when there is an EAS activation that 
includes a two-tone alert signal and an audio message. 
 
IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A TEST EACH WEEK from your two assigned monitoring 
sources, take the following actions: 
• Determine why no test was received. 
? Check your station equipment 
? Call your monitoring source(s) 
• Take appropriate corrective action. 
• Document your findings in the EAS record logs. 
 
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO SEND WEEKLY TESTS from your station, take the following 
actions: 
• Determine why no test was sent. 
? Check your station equipment 
• Take appropriate corrective action. 
• Document your findings in the EAS record logs. 
 
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO SEND A MONTHLY TEST received from your assigned 
monitoring sources, take the following actions: 
• Determine why no test was sent. 
? Check your station equipment 
? Call your monitoring source(s) 
• Take appropriate corrective action. 
• Document your findings in the EAS record logs. 
(All Stations) 
31 
 
1. Receive test 
Receive and log the weekly test from all of your EAS monitoring 
assignments. 
2. Transmit  
weekly test 
Weekly tests must be conducted by EAS participants on different days 
and at different times. 
3. Discontinue 
normal  
programming 
 
 
 
 
Transmit weekly tests codes and transmit EOM codes. 
 
Use the station EAS encoder to transmit the EAS header code and 
the EOM code. 
4. Resume  
normal  
programming  
and log 
Resume normal programming and log receipt and transmission of test. 
Sample Audio Message 
This is a test of the Emergency Alert System. 
Weekly Tests 
(All Stations) 
32 
 
1. Receive the  
test from your  
EAS monitoring  
assignment 
 
2. Transmit this 
optional 
announcement 
 
3. Discontinue 
normal  
programming 
 
4. Retransmit 
Use the EAS encoder to retransmit the header codes and attention signal 
within 60 minutes of receipt. 
 
 
Sample Audio Message 
This is a test of the Emergency Alert System. 
Monthly Tests 
(All Stations) 
NOTE:  Only authorized stations may initiate a monthly test. 
33 
 
5. Monthly Tests 
 
Retransmit the 
monthly test 
script as 
received from 
your source 
 
Sample Test Script 
 
This is a coordinated monthly test of the 
broadcast stations of your area.  We are test-
ing equipment that can quickly warn you 
during emergencies.  If this had been 
an actual emergency such as (insert types of 
emergencies that may occur in the 
geographic area), an official message would 
have followed the alert tone. 
 
This concludes this test of the Emergency 
Alert System. 
Monthly Tests 
(All Stations) 
34 
 
6. Transmit the 
End of Message 
(EOM) codes 
 
 
Use the station EAS encoder to transmit the EAS header code and 
the EOM code. 
7. Resume normal 
programming 
and log 
Resume normal programming. 
 
Log receipt and transmission of test. 
 
Steps 3 through 7 of the monthly tests may be performed automatically. 
 
 
 
Monthly Tests 
(All Stations)