FCC To Review EAS System

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has unanimously approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to begin a sweeping review of the nation’s emergency alert and warning systems. The move signals a potential overhaul of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to ensure they meet modern-day needs and expectations.

With frameworks for EAS and WEA dating back 31 and 13 years respectively, the Commission aims to determine whether fundamental structural changes are needed to improve their effectiveness, resilience, and accessibility.

The FCC’s rulemaking will seek public and stakeholder input on a range of issues, including:

• What core objectives national alert and warning systems should serve
• Which entities need alert-sending capabilities to best serve the public
• The technical capabilities required for a national alert system, such as security, geographic targeting, and transmission reliability
• Whether EAS and WEA currently meet the needs of the public and emergency officials
• And how best to deliver clear, actionable information across radio, TV, satellite, cable, and mobile platforms

“The time is right to explore if structural changes are needed, with an eye towards making sure the FCC is leveraging the latest technology to save lives,” the agency stated in the release. The proposal, designated FCC 25-50, was approved on August 7, with Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioners Anna Gomez and Nathaniel Trusty all voting in favor and issuing separate statements.