Understanding the Emergency Alert System

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system that requires radio and TV broadcasters, cable TV, wireless cable systems, satellite and wireline operators to provide the President with capability to address the American people within 10 minutes during a national emergency.

Broadcast, cable, and satellite operators are the stewards of this important public service in close partnership with state, local, tribal, and territorial authorities.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in partnership with the Federal Communications Commission and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is responsible for implementing, maintaining and operating the EAS at the federal level.

Emergency Alert System Details

Messages can interrupt radio and television to broadcast emergency alert information.

Messages cover a large geographic footprint. Emergency message audio/text may be repeated twice, but EAS activation interrupts programming only once, then regular programming continues.

Messages can support full message text for screen crawl/display, audio attachments in mp3 format, and additional languages.

It is important for authorities who send EAS messages to have a relationship with their broadcasters to understand what will be aired via radio, TV and cable based on their policies. Policies vary from station to station.

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Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)