PUBLIC NOTICE: FCC Enforcement Advisory | The Federal Communications Commission
Compliance Obligations
On January 7, 2021, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued an Enforcement Advisory to remind Emergency Alert System (EAS) participants of their obligation to comply with the EAS rules, including ensuring that EAS alerts are accessible to persons with disabilities. The advisory also encourages consumers to report inaccessible EAS alerts.
Links for Enforcement Advisory
For more information about EAS, please visit: fcc.gov/general/emergency-alert-system-eas-0.
To learn more about the Commission’s accessibility requirements for EAS, please visit: fcc.gov/eas-faq-accessibility.
For specific questions, please contact Debra Patkin, Attorney Advisor, Disability Rights Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at 202-870-5226 or debra.patkin@fcc.gov.
Bureau/Office: Consumer and Governmental Affairs
Tags: Accessibility and Disability – Constituencies
Updated: Thursday, January 7, 2021
What is the Emergency Alert System (EAS)?
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system commonly used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as weather and AMBER alerts, to affected communities. EAS participants – radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers – deliver local alerts on a voluntary basis, but they are required to provide the capability for the President to address the public during a national emergency.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the FCC, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service (NWS) work collaboratively to maintain the EAS and Wireless Emergency Alerts, which are the two main components of the national public warning system and enable authorities at all levels of government to send urgent emergency information to the public.
FEMA is responsible for any national-level activation, tests, and exercises of the EAS.
The FCC’s role includes establishing technical standards for EAS participants, procedures for EAS participants to follow in the event the system is activated, and testing protocols for EAS participants.
Alerts are created by authorized federal, state, and local authorities. The FCC does not create or transmit EAS alerts.
The majority of EAS alerts originate from the National Weather Service in response to severe weather events, but an increasing number of state, local, territorial, and tribal authorities also send alerts. In addition, the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards network, the only federally-sponsored radio transmission of warning information to the public, is part of the EAS.
Resources
- FCC Issues Enforcement Advisory to Promote Understanding of EAS and WEA Rules
- Tips for Issuing Multilingual Alerts Via EAS and WEA
- FCC/FEMA Emergency Alerting Webinar
- Slide Presentation: A Guide to Emergency Alert System (EAS)
and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) System - Emergency Alerting Roundtable
- Emergency Alerting Workshop
- How Public Safety Officials Can Issue Emergency Alerts
- EAS Accessibility FAQs
- FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System
- EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS) and EAS Handbook
- Certified EAS Equipment Vendors
- State EAS Plans and Chairs
- EAS Rules (47 C.F.R. Part 11)
- FEMA Best Practices
- National Weather Service
Archives
- 2021 Enforcement Bureau Reminds EAS Participants of Compliance Oblications
- 2020 FCC Waives 2020 EAS Test Reporting System Filing Requirement
- 2020 FCC Report on 2019 Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test
- 2019 Initial Findings Regarding the 2019 Nationwide EAS Test
- 2019 PSHSB Reminds EAS Participants of Form Three Deadline
- 2019 FEMA and FCC Announce Nationwide Test in August
- 2019 FCC Reminds Video Providers to Issue Accessible Emergency Alerts
- 2019 FCC Report on 2018 Nationwide Emergency Alert Test
- 2018 Initial Findings Regarding the 2018 Nationwide EAS Test
- 2018 FCC Announces Nationwide Emergency Alert Test
- 2018 Report on 2017 Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test
- 2018 Amendment of Part 11 of the Commission’s Rules Regarding the Emergency Alert System
- 2017 Blue Alerts Report & Order
- 2017 EAS Test and EAS Test Reporting System ETRS
- 2015 6th Report and Order (pdf)
- 2013 Reports On Lessons Learned From The 2011 Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test (pdf)
- 2012 5th Report & Order (pdf)
- 2011 4th Report & Order (pdf)
- 2011 3rd Report & Order (pdf)
- 2007 2nd Report & Order and FNPRM (Next Generation EAS) (pdf)
- 2005 1st Report & Order and FNPRM (Digital) (pdf)
- 2005 Report & Order (Wireless) (pdf)
- 2004 NPRM (Digital) (pdf)
- 2004 NPRM (Wireless Cable Systems) (pdf)
- 2002 Report & Order (New Codes, e.g., Amber Alert) (pdf)
- 1998 3rd Report & Order (Channel Override) (pdf)
- 1997 2nd Report & Order (Cable Systems) (pdf)
- 1995 Memorandum Opinion and Order (Exemption for FM Translators) (pdf)
- 1994 Report & Order and FNPRM (Establishment of EAS) (pdf)
Related Material
- April 10, 2018 – Report
Report and Recommendations, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, January 13, 2018 False Alert - April 5, 2018 – Senate Commerce Committee Field Hearing on Hawaii False Missile Alert
- December 5, 2016 – White Paper
Earthquake Early Warnings: An Engineering Analysis - Bureau/Office: Public Safety and Homeland Security
- Tags: Emergency Alert System – Public Safety
Updated: Thursday, July 23, 2020
Categories: Public Policy
2 replies »