New Information on the Emergency Alert System “EAS”

NEW INFORMATION ON THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM “EAS”

One important change has happened to the EAS Test that is different from
what we sent out last week: The test will be less than30 seconds. Not THREE
minutes.

* Updated News: EAS Test Shortened to 30 Seconds
* Wireless RERC EAS Test
* Tweet-to-Teach Emergency Responders

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UPDATED NEWS: EAS Test Shortened to 30 Seconds

First Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System
To Take Place Wednesday November 9, 2011
at 2:00 p.m. EST / 11:00 a.m. PST

As part of their ongoing efforts to keep our country and communities safe
during emergencies, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will conduct the first nationwide test of
the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The EAS test plays a key role in ensuring
the nation is prepared for all hazards, and that the U.S. public can receive
critical and vital information, should it ever be needed. The first
nationwide test will be conducted Wednesday, November 9 at 2 p.m. EST / 11
a.m. PST.

This test will last thirty seconds, and will be transmitted via television
and radio stations within the entire U.S., including the territories of
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. Similar to local
emergency alert system tests, an audio message will interrupt television and
radio programming indicating: “This is a test.” When the test is over,
regular programming will resume. For more information about the nationwide
Emergency Alert System test, please visit
http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6407 and
http://www.FCC.gov. On November 9 at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT, please
remember: Don’t stress; it’s only a test.

NOTE from CEPIN/TDI: We want to let you know that because of how EAS was
originally designed fifty years ago, some cable systems may not be able to
provide any visual information during the test.

CEPIN and TDI, along with FEMA, encourages the public to use this event as a
reminder that everyone should assemble an emergency preparedness kit and
establish an emergency plan for themselves, their families, communities, and
businesses. Visit www.Ready.gov for more information about how to prepare
for and stay informed about what to do in the event of an actual emergency.
Additional resources can be found on CEPIN’s website at
http://www.cepintdi.org

CEPIN/TDI has produced a vlog explaining more details about the test in ASL
with voice-over and open captions at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HleNEi79FE.

Source: CEPIN/TDI – http://www.cepintdi.org/

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WIRELESS RERC EAS TEST SURVEY

Fill Out EAS Survey for Chance to Win $100 Amazon Gift Card

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies
(Wireless RERC) at Georgia Tech is conducting a survey of people with visual
and hearing impairment in order to understand the effectiveness of the
Emergency Alert System (EAS) that will take place on November 9, 2011 at
2:00 p.m. EST / 11:00 a.m. PST.

We are conducting 2 surveys – one survey before the national EAS test
(pre-test survey) and one survey after the national EAS test (post-test
survey). Please take a few minutes today to complete the pre-test survey.
About 2 weeks after the EAS test, we will also ask you to take the post-test
survey.

All participants in each survey will be entered into a drawing for a $100
Amazon gift card.

The survey can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EAS-Test – If
you need assistance completing the survey, please contact Salimah LaForce at
404-894-8297 or [email protected].

THANK YOU!

Georgia Tech Center for Advanced Communications Policy
Website: http://www.cacp.gatech.edu/

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Tweet-to-Teach Emergency Responders

To Deaf/Hard of Hearing Community Members, Emergency Management personnel,
and Community Partners:

One of the concerns that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and
local Emergency Management personnel have is how to reach and inform
citizens who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in an emergency or disaster. There
has been much buzz in the Emergency Management Community about leveraging
social media as a means for disseminating information, however little
research on the efficacy of this system exists.

On November 9, 2011, FEMA is conducting a nationwide test of the Emergency
Alert System (EAS). This EAS test provides a rare opportunity to be able to
test one of the primary social media outlets for disseminating information:
Twitter.

Your help is neededto test and accumulate data on the efficiency of Twitter
as a means of communicating information to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Community. If you have a Twitter account, please join in this test by using
hashtag #demx (Deaf EMergency X) when you tweet about EAS. Participation is
needed on multiple levels: from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community as
well as the community of First Responders, Emergency Agencies, and Community
Partners.

By using the hashtag #demx researchers will be able to collect data on the
transmission of information through the use of Twitter. The goal of the
research is twofold:

* show how the Deaf community can communicate to spread news of a disaster
* show where improvements are necessary in FEMA/Homeland Security’s current
operations for disseminating and responding to emergency information

The Deaf Community needs the first goal to demonstrate being good-faith
partners and responsible citizens in emergency prep and response. Emergency
planners and responders needs the second goal so they can learn and develop
best practices for keeping the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community informed
in an emergency or disaster.

This is a rare opportunity to be able to test the use of Twitter as a means
for disseminating information, without the occurrence of an actual emergency
or disaster. The information learned from this test and experience has the
potential to be of great use to a vast variety of people nationwide.

Please forward this email and spread the wordto use hashtag #demx for
tweeting information leading up to and during the EAS test. For more
information about the EAS test FEMA has this blog post and video (captioned
and interpreted) available at
http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6407

For more information about this research project, contact Stephanie Jo Kent
at http://www.reflexivity.us/wp/2011/11/deaf-tweet-to-teach-emergency-responders

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