Cybertelecom Federal Internet Law & Policy An Educational Project

Emergency Alert System

Laws

• National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year of 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-283, 134 Stat. 3388, § 9201(e)(1), https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6096/text (Section 9201(e) of the NDAA21 directs the Commission to "[n]ot later than 180 days after the date of enactment [i.e., by June 30, 2021], and after providing public notice and opportunity for comment . . . complete an inquiry to examine the feasibility of updating the Emergency Alert System [(EAS)] to enable or improve alerts to consumers provided through the Internet, including through streaming services.")
• S 1753 Warning, Alerts and Response Network (WARN) Act 2005 All-Hazards Alert Systems Hearing Wednesday, July 27 2005 - 10:00 AM - SR-253 Senate Commerce Committee

Regulatory Proceedings

• 47 CFR Part 11 - EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM (EAS)
• Authority: 47 U.S.C. 151, 154 (i) and (o), 303(r), 544(g) and 606. Note that the FCC has jurisdiction over broadcast services and telecommunications; pursuant to the 2017 Restoring Internet Freedom proceeding, it lacks jurisdiction over Internet applications.
• Amendment of Part 11 of the Commission's Rules Regarding the Emergency Alert System; Wireless Emergency Alerts, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry, 36 FCC Rcd 6266, 86 Fed Reg 16565 (2021)
• Your Streaming Binge Could Soon Be Interrupted by Emergency Alerts and Tests, Nextgov Matrch 29, 2021
• Complex and Infeasable: EAS Alerts Via Streaming Services, Radio and Television Business Report May 17, 2021
• Review of the Emergency Alert System; Independent Spanish Broadcasters Association, The Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, Inc., and the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council, Petition for Immediate Relief, ET Docket No. 04-296, Fifth Report and Order, 27 FCC Rcd 642, 646 (2012)
• Review Of The Emergency Alert System. Seek comments on proposed changes to Part 11 rules governing the Emergency Alert System to codify the obligation to process alert messages formatted in the Common Alerting Protocol and to clarify these rules generally to enhance their effectiveness. (Dkt No. 04-296 ). Action by: the Commission. Adopted: 05/25/2011 by FNPRM. (FCC No. 11-82). PSHSB TXT
• 04/16/2010. Public Safety And Homeland Security Bureau Announces Comment Dates To Respond To Public Notice Regarding Possible Revisions To The FCC's Eas Rules Upon Adoption Of The Common Alerting Protocol By The Federal Emergency Management Agency. (DA No. 10-659). (Dkt No 04-296 ). Comments Due: 05/17/2010. Reply Comments Due: 06/14/2010. PSHSB . TXT
• FCC TAKES ACTION TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN NATION'S EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. The Commission adopted a proposal that strengthens the nation's Emergency Alert System (EAS). The Order promotes the development of fully digital Next Generation technologies and delivery systems that will better serve the American public. News Release. Adopted: 05/31/2007. PSHSB. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-273458A1.doc
• Dkt No. 04-296 EAS FNPRM (2005)

The Commission also adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks comment on how the Commission can best help develop a next-generation alert and warning system that takes full advantage of digital media’s potential. The Commission seeks comment on the type of system architecture and common protocols that would be required in such a system. The Commission also asks questions regarding specific technologies, particularly, how the Commission could facilitate the effective integration of wireless technologies into a next generation alert and warning system, and whether traditional telephone companies that plan to provide high definition digital content to customers’ homes through fiber optic connections should have public alert and warning responsibilities. In addition, the Further Notice seeks comment on issues relating to the participation of state and local authorities in the EAS system.

The Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking also asks how a next generation EAS can more effectively reach individuals with hearing and vision disabilities. Finally, the Commission seeks comment on how the EAS rules should be revised to more effectively reach non-English speaking individuals. -- Public Notice

66. System architecture/message distribution. Some commenters argue that the current distribution system is flawed, and that EAS messages should be distributed directly to media outlets. We seek comment on this assertion. Would such point-to-multi-point distribution deliver alerts more quickly to the public? Would it do so more efficiently? Many commenters, such as WTOP/WXTR, propose that a satellite-based system be used. Would such a system be effective? Should it be deployed in addition to or instead of the current system? APTS proposes that the PBS satellite system offers a model for distribution of national or state and local alerts. We seek comment on the APTS proposal. We note that the PBS satellite system is an integral part of FEMA’s Digital Emergency Alert System (DEAS) National Capital Region Pilot, and we expect to incorporate the results of that pilot into our record. We also seek comment on other distribution models. For example, given its inherent robustness, we believe the Internet should serve an important role in distribution of alerts and warnings.

67. Common protocols. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) argues that emergency alerts should flow rapidly and simultaneously through all available information conduits to first responders and the public. Should such a ubiquitous distribution be a goal of a digitally-based alert system? Most commenters agree that in order for a digitally-based alert and warning system to be distributed simultaneously over multiple platforms, a common messaging protocol must be adopted. We seek comment on this assertion. SWN Communications, Inc. contends that the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), endorsed by the PPW and many public and private organizations responsible for alerts, offers the most practical means of quickly creating an effective interface between the emergency manager and multiple emergency alert and notification systems to significantly improve national alert and warning capability. Should CAP be adopted as the common messaging protocol for any future digitally-based alert system? Should we require the adoption of CAP for EAS alerts? If CAP were to be adopted, would it allow simultaneous distribution to radio, television, and wireless media such as mobile telephones and PDAs? How would CAP be used to ensure uniformity of alerts across such multiple platforms? For example, if the White House were to issue a national message how would CAP accommodate an audio message with a shorter, text-based message appropriate for a PDA screen?

Public Notice

Order & FNPRM FCC-05-191A1.doc

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White House

• Executive Order: Public Alert and Warning System (June 26, 2006) assigning responsibility for EAS to DHS

Dept of Commerce

• 11/02/2000 - Dept Commerce Press Release: Assistant Secretary Rhode Hosts Demonstration of Internet-Based Warning System
• Government Wants Internet Emergency Preparedness System WashTech Aug 9
• Weather warnings coming online Nov 2, 2000 usatoday
• ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROHDE HOSTS DEMONSTRATION OF INTERNET-BASED WARNING SYSTEM. (November 1, 2000) Nov 3, 2000 NTIA
• Media Advisory: Commerce Assistant Secretary Rhode to host demonstration of Internet-based warning system. (October 30, 2000) Oct 31, 2000 NTIA
• NSTC Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction Effective Disaster Warnings (2000) p. 25
• "RECOMMENDATION: A standard method should be developed to collect and relay instantaneously and automatically all types of hazard warnings and reports locally, regionally, and nationally for input into a wide variety of dissemination systems. The National Weather Service (NWS) has the most advanced system of this type that could be expanded to fill the need. Proper attribution of the warning to the agency that issues it needs to be ensured."

FEMA

• FEMA, IPAWS All-Hazards Information Feed
• Emergency Data Standards (some links out of date)
• National Incident Management System (NIMS) (2004)

Government Internet EAS Systems

DIG Emergency Email Network

Alabama

Emergency Email Network

Alaska

Emergency Email Network

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Delaware

Emergency Email Network

District of Columbia, Washington

Maryland

Emergency Email Network

Nebraska

BuffaloWatch Local, State, National warnings, amber alerts, weather | stand alone application

Lincoln & Lancaster :: Weather, state & federal emergencies | Icon in sys tray, updated info scrolls across bottom of screen |

Nebraska City puts Pop Ups to Good Use as Emergency Alert System, MATR News MArch 12, 2003

• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Philadelphia, PA Uses Roam Secure
• Virginia
• Arlington Alert System Local weather, traffic and civil emergencies (this system worked wonderfully during hurricane Isabel). Messages to email, mobile wireless devices & phone, and XM Radio (the local traffic and weather channel) (messages to mobile phones do not always seem to get through). Uses Roam Secure.
• Fairfax County Public Schools Uses Roam Secure.
• Fairfax County, VA Urban Search & Rescue Task Force Uses Roam Secure.
• Fairfax County, VA Uses Roam Secure
• King George County Uses Roam Secure.
• Wisconsin
• Dane County Dept of Emergency Management Warning System Madison, Wisc Weather and civil emergency alerts
• Federal Government
• US Department of Agriculture Uses Roam Secure.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Uses Roam Secure.
• US Geological Survey
• Earthquake Notification Service (Email)
• RSS
• NOAA
• Interactive Weather Information Network
• Pacific Tsunami Warning Center Email
• West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning CenterRSS Email
• Interactive Weather Information Network
• HazCollect " the All-Hazards Emergency Message Collection System, HazCollect, to collect and efficiently distribute non-weather emergency messages (NWEM). NWEMs, commonly known as Civil Emergency Messages (CEMs), will be sent through the NWS dissemination infrastructure, other national systems, and to the Emergency Alert System " System uses the CAP The HazCollect Operational Acceptance Test (OAT) Test has been rescheduled for May 8 to June 23, 2006. National availability of the HazCollect functionality through DMIS is expected in July 2006.
• See NOAA All Hazard Radio

• US CERT DHS Email & RSS Alerts Cybersecurity
• Department of Homeland Security:
• Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)
• National Warning System (NAWAS)
• Digital EAS
• Advisory System:
• Threat Advisories
• Information Bulletins
• Threat Level Icon
• FEMA

• The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System- Joint Initiative of the United Nations and the European Commission
• Private Warning Services and Products
• Services
• Airit2me SMS alerting from any web enabled device
• ProAlert.us weather and civil emergency alerts via email or text ready mobile phones or pagers
• Feedbeep RSS to SMS (turns RSS feeds into SMS messages)
• Horman America, Inc. Network alerts
• Interline weather, state and federal emergencies, amber alter
• ScanUSA "SCAN is the Safe Community Alert Network -- a public warning system that allows local police departments, fire departments, emergency management services organizations, schools and public safety agencies to broadcast emergency information directly to the computers, mobile phones, pagers and PDAs of their neighborhood and local residents."
• Equipment Vendors
• Red Alert by Amtelco Email, phone call, page, text message, fax
• extWARN (Intranet or LAN stand alone app)
• Roam Secure
• Fine Point Technologies EAS Direct Messenger
• Horman America, Inc. Network alerts
• Cybersecurity
• CERT
• SANS RSS, Website
• Weather Related
• StormNow weather alerts via email, fax, page, and PCS phone
• Weather.com tools weather alerts via email, mobile phone
• AccuWeather.com Alert Severe weather bulletins via email and mobile phones
• Weatherbug PCs and Mobile Phones, RSS, Stand alone app
• Projects
• ISOC The Internet Rises to the Challenge of Public Warning - a call for collaborative action in order to make such public warning systems a reality.
• Cellular Emergency Alert Service Association
• ITU Emergency Telecoms
• UN ISDR Platform for the Promotion of Early Warning "The Platform for the Promotion of Early Warning, which started operations in 2004, will help the development of early warning and preparedness systems by (i) advocating for better early warning systems, especially in development assistance policy and programs, (ii) collecting and disseminating information on best practices, and (iii) stimulating cooperation among early warning actors and the development of new ways to improve early warning systems."
• Reverse 911

• Benefits
• Can operate successfully when voice networks are congested or inoperable
• Ability to reach mobile people through wireless devices
• Ability to tailor messages to reach specific groups (ie., nurses, reserves, top leaders, employees of specific agency, police, general public)
• Interactive - once activated, can permit the recipient to receive a wide variety of additional related information
• Can have a confirmation function so that you know recipients have received message

• Issues
• Notifying all targeted individuals on all devices simultaneously
• Time delay in getting all messages out to all devices over all networks
• Introduced discrepancies in messages as send separate messages to separate networks or devices
• Blocked Messages
• DOS: Internet EAS systems could be targets of DOS attacks.
• SPAM
• Network Side: Email and messages to wireless devices being blocked as spam. The messages will come out as a large amount of traffic into the network and can look to filters like spam. Entities designing text message alert systems may wish to work with major email distributors and local wireless device and mobile phone carriers to ensure that their messages are not blocked.
• Message may look like SPAM to the recipient, and deleted without opening, or ignored. EAS messages may need a trust system so that both the network and the recipient can authenticate the message.

• Whether the EAS client application was online
• In other words, if the EAS system is IM based, and the IM application is not on, then the EAS message would not be received.
• Reliability of the emergency alert system
• whether it could be subject to attack.
• Whether it could be authenticated
• Whether it could be spoofed
• May require authentication cryptographic keys See IETF Informational Draft International Alert System Sec. 2.2.1
• Vulnerability to network congestion - priority traffic status
• Redundancy (servers, infrastructure, telecom services)
• power outage and continuance of operations
• Will the service be vulnerable to the event which it is suppose be sending alerts out about?
• Whether transmission of bulk text messages could overwhelm wireless device networks
• 24/7 operations
• System Testing
• System testing with appropriate subject lines and during appropriate times so as not to panic or disturb the recipients (causing mobile devices to go off in the middle of the night would probably not be a good idea).
• Roaming - when out of region, alerts of region are of limited use. When in a foreign region, it would be useful to get those alerts. But see geolocation.
• Appropriate language (ie., english, spanish, french, translation options)
• Appropriate use policy
• Who gets to post messages
• What events get to be posted (after Hurricane Isabel Arlington Emergency Alert used the system to announce where ice could be acquired, as people were without electricity for about a week. It was very cool).
• Audience: There are two different audiences for these alerts: (1) general public and (2) appropriate officials or first responders. In the second case, the Internet could be used to send alerts to officials who then move the message to non-Internet mediums. Also, in the second case, the message could include protocols that cause automatic actions at the recipients.
• Applications, potential
• Email
• IM
• RSS
• Webpages
• Webpage scrolls
• Proprietary

• Related issues
• Reverse 911 in VoIP environment

Papers

• CRS Report for Congress, Emergency Communications: The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings Sept 2, 2005 - Sept 2006 Revision PDF.
  
• Structure of an International Emergency Alert System. Internet-Draft, Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) F. Baker and B. Carpenter. January 10, 2005
• Cisco, IBM propose Internet-based disaster alert system, GCN 2/11/5
• Roam Secure
• First Responders
• Continuity of Operations
• Public Warning

Links

• FCC Emergency Alert System
• EAS Handbooks
• AM & FM Handbook
• TV Handbook
• Cable Handbook
• State Coordinators
• IETF
• Amber Alert

News

• Verizon Charges Companies 3 Cents To SMS Their Customers - Annoys content companies who issue SMS alerts., dslreports 10/10/2008
• People Finally Realizing That SMS Isn't Good For Emergency Alerts, Techdirt 9/22/2008
• ITU and OASIS run Public Warning workshops and demos, Developing Telecom 10/6/2006
• Why isn't there a text message version of 999?, Guardian 10/20/2006
• Homeland Security Tests Mobile Alert System, Ecommerce Times 7/14/2006
• Tsunami warning system taps into tech, CNET 7/10/2006
• Service Provides Emergency Alerts to Cell Phones and Pagers, GT News 7/18/2006
• FCC says emergency alerts should move online, ZDNet 11/4/2005
• FEMA Tests Digital Alert System Apr 11, 2005 FCW