The Emergency Notification Blog

Before the FCC: New Jersey Broadcasters Association - Review of EAS

Thursday, 8 September 2011 10:48 by Global Security Systems

excerpt from the NJBA comments filed before the FCC regarding a review of EAS. The entire comment review is attached for your reference.

BEFORE THE
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554


In the Matter of
                    Review of the Emergency Alert System             

EB Docket No. 04-296

To: The Commission

COMMENTS
The New Jersey Broadcasters Association (the “NJBA”), its members being substantially all of the radio and television broadcast stations licensed to New Jersey,
hereby submits its comments in response to the January 10, 2010 Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, in which it is proposed to amend Part 11 of the Commission’s rules governing the Emergency Alert System (the “EAS”) to provide for national testing of the EAS and collection of data from such tests.

12. For little cost, manufacturers can include an FM radio receiver in mobile phones that would give consumers a convenient new way to access FM radio service, and more importantly, improve public safety by ensuring that broadcasters’ Emergency Alert System (EAS) messages and emergency information reach the widest possible audience via free-over-the-air transmission and FM based text alerting protocols. Second, it is a cost-effective way for ensuring that the public has ready access to lifesaving information. It would cost $1 or less per device to incorporate FM radio functionality in a mobile handset. For the benefit of the American public, FM radio reception in mobile handsets should be a critical component of any next-generation wireless emergency alerting solution. It must be emphasized, of course, that for these goals to be realized, any appropriation or funding grant made to the states for EAS systems and upgrades must be restricted in their use for the specific purposes for which they are intended and must not be diverted to other uses or to fund ancillary projects.

NJBA_EAS_Filed Comments_EB_Docket_No__04-296.pdf (1.62 mb)

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European Debut for the ALERT FM Emergency Warning System at IBC 2011

Thursday, 8 September 2011 10:31 by Global Security Systems

European Debut for the ALERT FM Emergency Warning System at IBC 2011

WorldCast Systems Adds the ALERT FM Emergency Audio and Text System to its Portfolio of Radio Products

Bordeaux-Mérignac -- September 6, 2011-- ALERT FM is proud to announce its European expansion as part of the WorldCast Systems extensive suite of turnkey solutions for broadcasters.   The ALERT FM comprehensive emergency audio and text-based warning system is the perfect complement to the group’s established range of Audemat RDS encoders, and will be showcased at the WorldCast Systems’ booth during IBC 2011. 

ALERT FM already is deployed extensively throughout the United States, enabling emergency managers to reach large numbers of the population with mass notifications sent via radio stations in audio, text, and email.

Group VP of Sales for WorldCast Systems, Christophe Poulain, explained, “Recent events such as the earthquakes in Japan and Spain have highlighted the need for prompt and wide-reaching emergency notifications in many countries worldwide. To efficiently implement such a scheme requires the involvement of government, broadcasters, and system integrators throughout the world.  We see ALERT FM as the perfect approach to bring these groups together and implement a fully integrated, comprehensive, and reliable solution capable of reaching millions of citizens within a matter of seconds.”

ALERT FM provides government officials at national and local levels the ability to create and send digital alert text and audio messages to multiple fixed and mobile devices equipped with a standard FM chip.  ALERT FM uses the reliable FM radio broadcast platform to deliver emergency alert text messages to radio listeners at large, or specifically defined audiences such as those within municipalities, counties, college and corporate campuses, sports arenas, convention halls, shopping malls, or even individual schools, dorms, or business buildings. ALERT FM technology will deliver text alerts comprised of up to 240 characters and will even ‘wake up’ ‘sleeping’ ALERT FM–enabled devices to broadcast the local EAS audio message and display corresponding text alerts, further enhancing public safety.

The overlapping signals of FM stations ensure rapid message transmission, even when other communications systems are disrupted. FM broadcasters participating in this network become a critical link in local emergency communication and gain the ability to generate revenue from their RDS capabilities.

The ALERT FM solution will be demonstrated at WorldCast Systems’ booth 8.B50 during IBC in Amsterdam, September 9 to the 13, 2011.

About GSST  and ALERT FM
Global Security Systems Technology, LLC, of Lafayette, Louisiana is the provider of ALERT FM,  a personal alert and messaging system that delivers emergency audio and text information from state and local governments and private sector officials to targeted recipients using the data subcarrier of local FM radio stations and GSSNet, a satellite data delivery network.  ALERT FM has been implemented at the university, state, county, and multi-county levels. More than 40 million people in 14 states have access to ALERT FM technology.

 

European Debut for ALERT FM Emergency Warning System at IBC 2011.pdf (132.73 kb)

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