The Emergency Broadcast System

[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.

[Legendryder]

When you consider this country for some reason must put a label on blow dryers so that people do not use them while they are bathing, I feel that this is just par for the course. Seems we can use all the help we can get.

[homoe]

The one thing I've never understood is why this system wasn't in effect during the events of 9/11! Every time it pops up now, I keep asking the question, IF 9/11 wasn't an emergency event WHAT would be

[RanchHand]

I think it may be because so many people are moving to different parts of the country for work, family, school and they are not aware of the elements. I also believe many people have lost the common sense of know the limits between danger and wheat is not dangerous.

[FireSignFemme]

I just cannot stress enough how truly, totally over simplified some of this stuff actually needs to be to make sense to some people. I pay attention to the EBS because I know when it’s activated a lot of people I want to avoid are going to do exactly the opposite of whatever it says to do and I want to know where they are headed so I can stay clear of them. When Mt. Saint Helens blew quite a few people’s response to the EBS warning advisories about that was to stay put and take their chances with swimming in hot molten lava. What the…? I seriously do not ever want to wind up in any kind of life or death crisis situation with people like that! I may not be that much an expert in survival but I do know this – when a volcano blows at the very least don’t run towards it! You’d be surprised how many people have to be told not to.