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, typically through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. 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 Urges EAS Participants to Secure EAS Equipment
- FCC Issues Enforcement Advisory to Promote Understanding of EAS and WEA Rules
- Multilingual Alerting for the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts
- FCC/FEMA Emergency Alerting Webinar
- Slide Presentation: A Guide to Emergency Alert System (EAS)and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) System
- Multilingual Alerting Workshop
- 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
- State Emergency Communications Committee Resources
- EAS Rules (47 C.F.R. Part 11)
- FEMA Best Practices
- National Weather Service
- Next Generation Warning System Grant Program | FEMA.gov
- IPAWS Process Playbook Version 2.0 | FEMA.gov
Archives
- 2023PSHSB Grants Limited Extension of Emergency Alert System Deadline for The Cromwell Group
- 2023 PSHSB Grants Limited Extension of Emergency Alert System Deadline for GCI Communications Corp.
- 2023 PSHSB Grants Limited Extension of EAS Deadline to KCAL LLC, and WPCW Inc
- 2023 PSHSB Grants Limited Extension of EAS Deadline to Mississippi Authority for Educational Television
- 2023 FEMA and FCC Plan Nationwide Emergency Alert Test for October4th
- 2023PSHSB Reminds EAS/WEA Participants to Transmit Accessible Alerts 10/4
- 2023PSHSB Offers Further Information and Assistance with ETRS Filings
- 2022 FCC Acts to Strengthen the Security of Nation's Alerting Systems
- 2022 PSHSB Announces Comment Dates for EAS Accessibility NPRM and NOI
- 2022 FCC Sets Dates for Improved Emergency Alert System Messages
- 2022 FCC Improves Emergency Alert System Messages
- 2022 Chairwoman Proposes Action To Strengthen Security Of Emergency Alert Systems
- 2022 FCC Urges EAS Participants to Secure EAS Equipment
- 2022 PSHSB Announces Certain EAS and WEACompliance Dates
- 2022 FCC Proposes to Improve the Accessibility and Clarity of Emergency Alerts
- 2022 FCC Releases Report on August 2021 Test of the Emergency Alert System
- 2021 FCC to Consider Modifications to Emergency Alert System Messages
- 2021 Reminder of Nationwide Emergency Alert Test on Aug. 11
- 2021 FCC Reminds Emergency Alert System Participants of Accessibility Requirements
- 2021 Nationwide Emergency Alerting Test Scheduled for August 11th
- 2021 Alert Reporting System (ARS) Now Open for filing EAS State Plans
- 2021 FCC Proposes to Further Strengthen Emergency Alerting
- 2021 Enforcement Bureau Reminds EAS Participants of Compliance Obligations
- 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
- 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 (pdf)
- 1995 Memorandum Opinion and Order (Exemption for FM Translators) (pdf)
- 1994 (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
- Testimony of Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel
- Testimony of Nicole McGinnis,
December 5, 2016 - White Paper
Earthquake Early Warnings: An Engineering Analysis
