Emergency alert systemGlitches in nationwide emergency alert test
Last Wednesday the United States conducted its first ever nationwide test of its emergency alert system, but based on reports the test did not go smoothly; instead of hearing the alert tone as the emergency alert title card was being displayed, some DirectTV subscribers were treated to Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi”
Last Wednesday the United States conducted its first ever nationwide test of its emergency alert system, but based on reports the test did not go smoothly.
Every radio station and television channel was to be interrupted for thirty seconds at exactly 2 PM EST, but that was not exactly the case. Instead of hearing the alert tone as the emergency alert title card was being displayed, some DirectTV subscribers were treated to Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi.” Meanwhile some Comcast subscribers in Northern Virginia had their televisions switched to QVC during the test.
In New York the test never played for some Time Warner Cable subscribers, while for many in Los Angeles the test lasted nearly thirty minutes. Additionally, some channels like MTV never ran the test, while various local stations across the country were several minutes late.
After the emergency broadcasts, a Federal Emergency Management Agency officials speaking anonymously to the New York Times acknowledged the glitches explaining the point of the nationwide test was to find and fix such problems.
“We always knew that there would probably be some things that didn’t work and some things that did,” the official said.
In an official joint statement made forty minutes after the test was concluded, FEMA and the Federal Communications Commission said, “This initial test was the first time we have tested the reach and scope of this technology and additional improvements that should be made to the system as we move forward.”
“Only through comprehensively testing, analyzing and improving these technologies can we ensure an effective and reliable national emergency alert and warning system,” they added.
The agencies said they will work with media companies to “improve this current technology and build a robust, resilient and fully accessible next generation alerting system that can provide timely and accurate alerts to the American people.”
