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. It 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 …………………………………7 Activated by the President National Termination Procedures………..……………….……16 State and Local Activation Procedures……………………….21 Activated by State and Local Officials or others State and Local Termination Procedures...…….…………….25 Monthly and Weekly EAS Test……………………………….....27 Activated according to State and Local plan 4 EAS Requirements for Wireline Video Providers Wireline Video System Size EAS Requirements Small Wireline Video Systems Requirements Under Option B Wireline Video Systems with fewer than 5,000 subscribers per headend must comply with either Option A or Option B Option A Provide National Level EAS Message on all Programmed Channels, including the required testing. Option B Install EAS equipment that is capable of providing: 1) The Audio Alert Messages on all Programmed Channels. 2) Video Interrupt on all channels. 3) Audio and Video EAS Messages on one Programmed Channel. Video Interruptions Must include a statement telling listeners on which channel the EAS video and audio message is displayed. Must flash a blank or black television screen simultaneously with, and of the same duration, as the EAS message. Wireline Video Systems with 5,000 to 10,000 subscribers, per headend Install EAS equipment that is capable of providing Audio and Video EAS Messages on all Programmed Channels. Wireline Video Systems with 10,000 or more subscribers, per headend Install EAS equipment that is capable of providing Audio and Video EAS Messages on all Programmed Channels. 5 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 cable system 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 6 ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 7 Automatic and Manual Operation You will see the words “Emergency Action Notification” on the EAS decoder display. You will hear the following Emergency Action Notification message from the EAS decoder. 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. (47 C.F.R. §11.54) 1 Receive the Emergency Action Notification (EAN) message 8 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 system. 2 Interrupt normal programming 3 Transmit this announcement: 9 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. Wireline Video Systems must visually and aurally transmit header code data. 10 Broadcast this Announcement This is an Emergency Action Notification. All EAS participants shall transmit this Emergency Action Notification Message. This [system name] has interrupted its regular programming at the request of the White House to participate in the Emergency Alert System. During this emergency, most EAS participants will remain on the air providing news and information to the public in assigned areas. This is [system name]. We will continue to serve the [EAS Local Area name] area. If you are not in this Local Area, you should tune to cable systems 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 For Manual Operation 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 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) 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 [system name]. This system 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 your local area. REPEAT Manual Operation 8 Transmit this standby script until emergency messages are available 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; 2. Monitor your EAS source for the Emergency Action Termination Message; 3. When the Emergency Action Termination message is received by the EAS decoder, follow the National Termination Procedures included in this handbook. 9 After the Presidential message: 15 ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 16 Automatic and Manual Operation You will see the words “Emergency Action Termination” on the 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 Resume normal programming and go to Step 2 17 EAS Header Codes Attention Signal For Automatic Operation The EAS equipment will automatically transmit your EAS header code and attention signal. For Manual Operation Use your EAS equipment to transmit the EAS header code. Use your EAS equipment to transmit the EAS attention signal. 2 Transmit the EAS header codes and attention signal. Wireline Video Systems must visually and aurally transmit header code data. 18 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 19 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 20 ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 21 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. (47 C.F.R. §11.55) 22 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 23 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 24 For Automatic Operation EAS equipment will retransmit header codes and the attention signal. For Manual Operation 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 Wireline Video Systems must visually and aurally transmit header code data. 25 For Automatic Operation The EAS equipment will switch to normal programming when the EOM is received. For Manual Operation Transmit the EOM and follow system procedures to resume normal programming. 6 Transmit the End of Message (EOM) code & resume regular programming 7 Log Log receipt of emergency message. Record the time that the Emergency Action Termination notice was received in records/logs. 26 ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 27 (47 C.F.R. §11.61) EAS tests are required by FCC Rules and must follow FCC Rule requirements 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. 28 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 EAS equipment ? Call your monitoring source(s) • Take appropriate corrective action. • Document your findings in the EAS record logs. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO SEND A TEST EACH WEEK, take the following actions: • Determine why no test was sent. ? Check your EAS 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 EAS equipment ? Call your monitoring source(s) • Take appropriate corrective action. • Document your findings in the EAS record logs. 29 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 EAS encoder to transmit the EAS header code and the EOM code. For headends with Less than 5,000 subscribers using Option A - see chart on page two of this handbook. 4. Resume normal programming and log Resume normal programming and log receipt and transmission of the test. Sample Audio Message This is a test of the Emergency Alert System. Weekly Tests 30 1. Receive the test from your EAS monitoring assignment 2. Transmit this optional announcement 3. Discontinue normal programming Wireline Video Systems With Over 5,000 subscribers must visually and aurally transmit header code data on all channels. With Less than 5,000 subscribers - see chart on page two of this handbook. 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 NOTE: Only authorized participants may initiate a monthly test. 31 5. Monthly Tests Retransmit the monthly test script as received from your source Sample Test Script This is a coordinated monthly test of the EAS participants in your area. We are testing 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 32 6. Transmit the End of Message (EOM) codes 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