On July 17, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unveiled a comprehensive plan to reassess the nation’s emergency alerting infrastructure. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, slated for the FCC’s August meeting, signifies a fundamental review of both the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA).
The FCC's announcement highlights that both systems, introduced years ago using then-current technology, may no longer effectively serve modern needs. The EAS, operating under the same architecture since 1994, and the WEA, designed for significantly evolved telecommunications networks, are undergoing scrutiny. The review extends beyond incremental adjustments to consider fundamental structural aspects: alerting objectives, authorized senders, transmission capabilities, and public reception methods.
The proposed rulemaking explores various critical areas. Should alerting systems guarantee message delivery, or should a "best effort" approach suffice? How can systems be secured against cyberattacks that could disrupt legitimate warnings or generate false alerts? The precision of geographic targeting, aiming to prevent “alert fatigue,” is also under examination.
The FCC considers expanding authorized alert originators beyond government entities to include utility companies for immediate hazard notifications. Machine-to-machine alerting, automatically triggering protective actions, is also explored. Furthermore, the potential for video messaging capabilities is under review, along with cost implications and technical requirements.
The commission acknowledges that traditional alerting platforms may not reach audiences as effectively as before, due to shifting media consumption habits. Streaming services, social media, and connected devices, currently reaching 40.3% of television usage as of June 2024, remain outside the current system. The FCC is exploring whether emergency alerts should prioritize end-user device capabilities, enabling direct alert reception regardless of programming.
The review comes amidst significant supply chain pressures in the emergency alerting industry. The National Association of Broadcasters petitioned the FCC for software-based solutions following Sage Alerting Systems' announcement to cease hardware production due to difficulties obtaining legacy components. Sage supplies approximately 90% of radio stations with emergency alert hardware, leaving Digital Alert Systems as the primary vendor.
The FCC’s notice omits discussion of the transition to ATSC 3.0 or NextGen TV broadcasting, despite proponents emphasizing the standard's enhanced alerting capabilities. Federal Emergency Management Agency data reveals 4.86 million uses of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System since 2012. The National Weather Service generates about 90% of EAS activations, primarily for weather warnings.
Research indicates that many Wireless Emergency Alert messages lack crucial information, prompting the commission to seek input on mandating key information elements in all messages. The FCC’s inquiry focuses on systematically evaluating whether current systems effectively achieve public safety objectives in light of technological and behavioral changes. “As part of this examination, we seek comment on how EAS and WEA are working in practice for the public safety authorities who send alerts every day and the public that receives these alerts,” the commission stated.
The FCC will accept public comments for 30 days following publication, followed by a 45-day reply comment period. The commission hasn't specified a timeline for completion or implementation of changes.