The Emergency Broadcast System

[Kobi]

Except for sporting events, I rarely watch tv so I am probably behind on the times.

Today, during the basketball game, the EBS thing came on - the beeping thing, the thing that usually says this is a test of the EBS. If this was a true emergency etc.

Only, today, they actually spoke. They wanted me to know:

1. it is snowing - it has been snowing for 6 hours now. I noticed.
2. the roads are slippery - yeah well I figured that.
3. do not go out unless you have to - more wisdom from the land of doh?

Seriously, tho, since when does the EBS cover a minor snow storm? It is 4-10 inches of snow. Not a blizzard. No avalanche stuff. I thought EBS was for big national emergencies like invaders from Mars and stuff.

Have we humans become so lacking in common sense, the government has to use a national emergency system to point out what should be readily obvious to us?

Is this like governmental paternalistic overkill?

Should we expect more interruptions for mundane things? Or is this just another cog in the governmental attempt to make us immune to actual disasters and threats?

Is this new? Does this strike anyone else as odd?

[apretty]

I have no way of knowing if 4 or 10 inches of snow is dangerous--But I do know that last night I was listening to OutQ and NY was gearing up for snow and the radio show that I was listening to warned against unsafe Grindr usage because you could be stuck with a bad trick and no way home.

[Liam]

The EAS is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) providers, and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers to provide the communications capability to the President to address the American public during a national emergency. The system also may be used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as AMBER alerts and weather information targeted to specific areas.

To read more, visit their website.

http://transition.fcc.gov/pshs/services/eas/

[Strappie]

I live in MN they have been doing this for a few years now... I honestly think it's a good think.. because some people need that added extra warning.. that YEP IT'S SERIOUS!!! STAY THE HELL HOME!

Because the idiots that drive in the snow storms don't realize they not only put themselves in jeopardy but the men and women that work for emergency agency's, they put those people at more risk to come save their asses from being stranded or causing more accidents.

Just me two cents...

[Kobi]

Originally Posted by Liam

The EAS is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) providers, and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers to provide the communications capability to the President to address the American public during a national emergency. The system also may be used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as AMBER alerts and weather information targeted to specific areas.

To read more, visit their website.

http://transition.fcc.gov/pshs/services/eas/

Thanks for this and the link. I have never seen this used this way before today and we usually get a crap load of snow. Even the hurricane warning this summer didnt activate this on a local level.

Last Amber alert I got was thru the town emergency phone system.

Our local warnings have always come from local stations with an emergency notice bar on the bottom of the screen.

Learned something new today.

[durrrrrrrr]

i dont find it odd at all

any information that can be given to me, I will take it.

[Gráinne]

In many parts of the country, 4-10 inches is not a minor snow storm. My city comes to a screeching halt at less than that. And drivers don't know how to drive in that, or need the reinforcement to stay home!

We get the EAS a lot every spring, in tornado season, along with the crawls on the TV screen. Far from Big Brother intruding, I'm all for more warning avenues, not less. It saves lives.

[princessbelle]

I don't know much about the EBS and like others, i've heard it for years spouting off that horrible "LISTEN THIS IS IMPORTANT" screeching tone only to hear it is a false alarm, a "test" and they are practicing. I never really understood the practicing part. I've envisioned people "somewhere" running around in circles with their hands in the air pretending it was an Emergency and wondered if that is what we were suppose to do. Like we did in school for fire drills or something.

But, i will say this...

Last year we were hammered with bad storms and tornadoes here in the South. That EBS was blaring out like a preacher preachin on sin. I stopped, i listened, i heard, ....tornado take cover. I did. When i came up from the basement i had 6 trees in my yard down and stuff everywhere, later found out a tornado touched down less than 1/2 mile from my house.

I'm not sure what that EBS is about, but i know it is effective, or it was for me. I've been conditioned, i suppose, hearing it over the years even when it was just a "test".

I think it is a wonderful thing. The more info the better, even if we think it is not important. It could be important to someone.

[Kobi]

I can see where having another level of alert can be a good thing in certain situations.

When we had unprecedented tornados in the western part of the state last Spring, it would have made sense to use the EBS. Tornados are all but unheard of up in these parts. We wouldnt and didnt have a clue what to do, what precautions to take, or how to be safe. The local tv stations news departments stayed on live, giving out advisories, safety tips, and warnings.

That makes sense to me. It was an unknown and tornados dont give you days of notice before their arrival.

What I dont get is....I live in New England. Snow is in our blood. Living in snow, driving in snow, preparing for snow, playing in snow, shoveling snow, plowing snow, hazards of snow.... is something we learn early on in life. Snowstorms are seldom a surprise event. Like hurricanes, it takes days of warnings before the actual event occurs. Days to prepare.

First time you walk in snow or drive in snow, you learn it makes the pavement wet and slippery and this is hazardous. You learn snow can cause falls and injuries and accidents. You learn to slow down, wear the right stuff, use the right tools, do stuff to minimize the risks if you cant just stay home.

Does it make sense to use the EBS to update what you have already heard for days, what you can see with your own eyes, what you should know from your own experience? I dunno. Seems to me, at some point, adults should be able to deduce things and deal with them without the helping and expensive hand of the government.

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by Kobi

I can see where having another level of alert can be a good thing in certain situations.

When we had unprecedented tornados in the western part of the state last Spring, it would have made sense to use the EBS. Tornados are all but unheard of up in these parts. We wouldnt and didnt have a clue what to do, what precautions to take, or how to be safe. The local tv stations news departments stayed on live, giving out advisories, safety tips, and warnings.

That makes sense to me. It was an unknown and tornados dont give you days of notice before their arrival.

What I dont get is....I live in New England. Snow is in our blood. Living in snow, driving in snow, preparing for snow, playing in snow, shoveling snow, plowing snow, hazards of snow.... is something we learn early on in life. Snowstorms are seldom a surprise event. Like hurricanes, it takes days of warnings before the actual event occurs. Days to prepare.

First time you walk in snow or drive in snow, you learn it makes the pavement wet and slippery and this is hazardous. You learn snow can cause falls and injuries and accidents. You learn to slow down, wear the right stuff, use the right tools, do stuff to minimize the risks if you cant just stay home.

Does it make sense to use the EBS to update what you have already heard for days, what you can see with your own eyes, what you should know from your own experience? I dunno. Seems to me, at some point, adults should be able to deduce things and deal with them without the helping and expensive hand of the government.

People tend to move, newbies need warning.

[Cin]

Originally Posted by Kobi

I can see where having another level of alert can be a good thing in certain situations.

When we had unprecedented tornados in the western part of the state last Spring, it would have made sense to use the EBS. Tornados are all but unheard of up in these parts. We wouldnt and didnt have a clue what to do, what precautions to take, or how to be safe. The local tv stations news departments stayed on live, giving out advisories, safety tips, and warnings.

That makes sense to me. It was an unknown and tornados dont give you days of notice before their arrival.

What I dont get is....I live in New England. Snow is in our blood. Living in snow, driving in snow, preparing for snow, playing in snow, shoveling snow, plowing snow, hazards of snow.... is something we learn early on in life. Snowstorms are seldom a surprise event. Like hurricanes, it takes days of warnings before the actual event occurs. Days to prepare.

First time you walk in snow or drive in snow, you learn it makes the pavement wet and slippery and this is hazardous. You learn snow can cause falls and injuries and accidents. You learn to slow down, wear the right stuff, use the right tools, do stuff to minimize the risks if you cant just stay home.

Does it make sense to use the EBS to update what you have already heard for days, what you can see with your own eyes, what you should know from your own experience? I dunno. Seems to me, at some point, adults should be able to deduce things and deal with them without the helping and expensive hand of the government.

Having lived in New England all my life, well, until now, I totally get why you would be surprised. 4-10 inches is nothing. Not even enough to give a thought about. It takes at least a foot to cause concern. Maybe there is something more going on. I heard there were cancellations in the area so maybe the driving is worse than they thought it was going to be for some unexplained reason, maybe there is a lot of wind or something? I honestly don't get it. Unless they've decided not to clean the roads? That would make 4-10 inches a problem. I mean if they plan to leave it there. Seems weird though? I have never heard of the EBS doing this before. I guess that's why it's a question. I mean if they did it all the time we would be used to it by now. Why would they all of a sudden start?

Hell, I remember one particularly eventful winter in Boston when almost every time I turned around a foot of snow or more dropped out of the sky. It was horrible. After awhile the snow mounds from the plows were so high you couldn't see around corners and driving was a nightmare for most of the winter. If the EBS had started beeping for snow that year they might have never stopped.

[Kobi]

Originally Posted by Miss Tick

Having lived in New England all my life, well, until now, I totally get why you would be surprised. 4-10 inches is nothing. Not even enough to give a thought about. It takes at least a foot to cause concern. Maybe there is something more going on. I heard there were cancellations in the area so maybe the driving is worse than they thought it was going to be for some unexplained reason, maybe there is a lot of wind or something? I honestly don't get it. Unless they've decided not to clean the roads? That would make 4-10 inches a problem. I mean if they plan to leave it there. Seems weird though? I have never heard of the EBS doing this before. I guess that's why it's a question. I mean if they did it all the time we would be used to it by now. Why would they all of a sudden start?

Hell, I remember one particularly eventful winter in Boston when almost every time I turned around a foot of snow or more dropped out of the sky. It was horrible. After awhile the snow mounds from the plows were so high you couldn't see around corners and driving was a nightmare for most of the winter. If the EBS had started beeping for snow that year they might have never stopped.

Ahhh someone who understands.

It's just snow. No wind, no whiteout conditions that I could see, nothing out of the ordinary being reported like tornado-like occurences in the snow. It was a wet, heavy snow which usually means downed power lines and power outages but there was no mention of this. Just seemed like a regular storm to me and driving when it is snowing it is always treacherous cuz they cant keep the roads clear while the snow is still falling.

As I said, I dont usually watch tv. It is possible the EBS has been doing this for a while and I just never saw it before.

I can say, however, in spite of all the warnings.....the bowling alley across from me was doing a brisk business today. Guess "dont go out unless you have to" means different stuff to different people.