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In the olden days, the way a person learned about emergencies was either by experiencing it up close and personal, or by word-of-mouth days, weeks, or even years after the event. Too late, whichever way. Nowadays we have emergency alert systems that warn us in advance about what’s coming, as well as what to do to prepare and how to get help once the disaster has hit.
In the US today the overlapping methods to alert us of natural and man-made disasters, from hurricanes and fires to missing children are all part of the top-down national-to-local Emergency Alert System (EAS) “…commonly used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as weather and AMBER alerts, to affected communities.” https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-alert-system
The alerts are delivered via radio and television broadcasts and cable systems, satellite, and cell providers. While these systems deliver local disaster and emergency alerts on a voluntary basis, they are also required by law to provide at least the capability for the President to address the public during a national emergency (a state of emergency that threatens the nation from a domestic or foreign source – see National Emergencies Act of 1976 50 U.S. Code Chapter 34 – NATIONAL EMERGENCIES”
In the US in addition to the methods of receiving alerts mentioned above, emergency alerts can also be issued via NOAA weather radios, sirens, and digital billboards. Nowadays most of us are more likely to rely on WEA-capable mobile devices (smartphones & smartwatches) for the earliest warnings. All major cell phone providers participate in WEA to transmit geographically targeted, text-like emergency alert messages.
Since its launch in 2012, the WEA system has been used more than 84,000 times to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations. There is no app required. You only have to have your phone or device turned on and within the range of cell service. You can opt out if you want, but why would you?
- National Alerts: Issued by the President or FEMA during a national emergency
- Imminent Threat Alerts: Issued by public safety officials for severe threats, such as natural disasters, active shooters, or extreme weather
- Public Safety Alerts: Issued for threats that may not be imminent, or after an imminent threat has occurred
- AMBER Alerts: Issued by law enforcement when a child under 17 is abducted
- Silver Alerts: Issued when a senior citizen is missing
- Blue Alerts: Issued when a suspect poses a threat to law enforcement, or when an officer is missing
- Camo Alerts: Issued when a current or former member of the armed forces goes missing
- Weather Warnings: Issued by the National Weather Service for severe weather, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and flash floods
The EAS is collaboratively maintained by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the FCC, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service (NWS).
The Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) is FEMA’s national system for local alerts that provides authenticated emergency and life-saving information to the public. This is the system that will no longer work if the current administration has its way.
All of these agencies are threatened by the current administration, but it turns out that they can’t simply be dismantled by an Executive Order. It takes Congress to do that. We can hope that even our poorly-functioning Congress will realize that dismantling the agencies that maintain the EAS would be really, really stupid. After all, that would leave total responsibility for emergency notification up to the President. Remember Sharpiegate? It doesn’t matter whether Trump used a black Sharpie marker to alter an official National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration map or someone else did it and the then-president wasn’t aware of it. The problem is that no president of the United States has the meteorological expertise to be issuing EAS weather warnings or, really, most any of the above listed alerts.
As with all potential disasters, it is up to the individual to be prepared. It only makes sense to know how government agencies and departments that protect us and help us work. So don’t take my word for any of the above. Use the links. Find out for yourself.
And…
Please do not assume that emergency warnings issued over social media will save you in a disaster situation unless you absolutely know for sure it was issued by not just a person you trust, but a person authorized to issue that information. Your life and the lives of those you love are the stakes at risk.
