On 24 October 2011, the City of Providence activated its state-of-the-art Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) Emergency Alert System Encoder and Receiver.
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) providers, and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers to provide the communications capability to the President to address the American public during a national emergency. The system also may be used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as AMBER alerts and weather information targeted to specific areas.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in conjunction with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS), implements the EAS at the federal level. The President has sole responsibility for determining when the EAS will be activated at the national level, and has delegated this authority to the director of FEMA. FEMA is responsible for implementation of the national-level activation of the EAS, tests, and exercises. The NWS develops emergency weather information to alert the public about imminent dangerous weather conditions.
Next Generation - Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)
Presidential Executive Order 13407 established as policy the requirement for the United States to have an effective, reliable, integrated, flexible, and comprehensive system to alert and warn the American people; that effort is called Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), a public-private partnership in which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a leadership role. Many federal agencies are working together to transform the national alert and warning system to enable rapid dissemination of authenticated alert information over as many communications channels as possible.
What IPAWS Will Do
How do I get the EAS Message?
Getting the message is straightforward. Local broadcasters send the emergency message to radio stations, televisions stations, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) providers, and direct broadcast satellite (DBS). Messages can be in both voice and text formats.