FCC Rule Making
The Administrative Message (ADR), the Civil Emergency Message (CEM), and the Evacuation Immediate (EVI) were the only EAS event codes and NWEM products available prior 2002 . In 2002, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Report and Order giving local and state Emergency Alert System committees the option of utilizing additional event codes for non-weather events, bringing the total number of available codes to seventeen.
The National Weather Service adopted EAS event codes to align broadcast codes and text message identifiers within the AWIPS system to improve message dissemination. The new codes were incorporated into National Weather Service Instruction 10-518: National Non-Weather Related Emergency Products Specification (see Net Links below).
It is important to note that the Report and Order did NOT mandate that state and local broadcasters immediately upgrade their EAS equipment to implement the new codes.
EAS equipment manufactured before August 1, 2003 may not be capable of receiving and transmitting messages over the Emergency Alert System that are identified with the new non-weather event codes.
- Furthermore, EAS equipment manufactured and installed after 2003 may require that the new codes be manually programmed by the broadcaster.
The implication of this FCC ruling for the local warning official is that area broadcasters may not be capable of transmitting an EAS alert message that uses one of the new event codes.
- The warning official should verify that the EAS equipment used by local broadcasters is capable of recognizing the new codes. (Job Aid #1 at Lesson 2.7 provides a checklist incorporating this purpose.)
- This information may be available in the Local EAS Plan; if not, direct contact with the cognizant Broadcast Engineers is recommended.
- If the new codes are not locally implemented, and you wish your message to be broadcast via the Emergency Alert System, the only codes that can be used are the three original non-weather event codes, ADR, CEM, and EVI.
- If you do use the new event codes, your message will be distributed by the National Weather Service dissemination system, including NOAA Weather Radio, regardless of whether it is accessible to EAS participants.
Please see the following links for further information on NWS products and EAS Event Codes. Then check your knowledge via the self-assessment quiz on the next page.
