Emergency Alerts – Coming Soon to a Cellphone Near You
In 1951, President Harry Truman created the nation’s Emergency alert system. This system required radio stations to broadcast only on certain frequencies during emergencies. That evolved into the test on TV and radio stations the famous: “This is a test of the emergency broadcast system. This is only a test.”
New technology advancements as well as natural disasters, such as the Katrina Hurricane and terrorist threats, 9-11, has allowed the government has developed a new emergency alert system.
The plan, still in the beginning stages, will allow the government to send warnings of national emergencies on wireless phones, Web sites and hand-held computers. The system was demonstrated on July 12, 2006 at a public television station in suburban Virginia.
The plan calls for only the president to be able to order a national emergency alert. The system as established 1951 and until now was designed to warn Americans of a nuclear attack. President Bush last month ordered Homeland Security to extend the alert “for situations of war, terrorist attack, natural disaster or other hazards to public safety and well-being.”
The idea is being supported by The Association of Public Television Stations. Public TV stations have so far raised $1.1 billion – a third of it from the federal government – to convert antiquated technology at its 176 stations to digital systems that can transmit the alerts, APTS President John Lawson said.
“Anything that can receive a text message will receive the alert,” Homeland Security Department spokesman Aaron Walker said on Tuesday July 11, 2006. “We find that the new digital system is more secure, it’s faster and it enables us to reach a wide array of citizens and alert them to pending disasters.”
Overall, the new warning system is expected to cost $5.5 million to test and deploy nationally and $1 million annually to maintain, Walker said.
There are sure to be some question involving the rights of the citizens to be able to not get these alerts. As well as having strict control and security measures in place so that the public won’t be spammed with an alert of the day. However used correctly, it may serve an as a critical link for safety during a national or even a local crisis.
© 2006 Steven G. Atkinson – All rights reserved – tt4sb.com
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