LYNDONVILLE, N.Y.�FEMA and broadcasters in six states coordinated for the first ever multilingual Emergency Alert System test. Using existing DASDEC-II emergency communication platforms from Digital Alert Systems, a Monroe Electronics subsidiary, broadcasters from Arizona, Minnesota, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and Wisconsin participated in the test.
To issue the multilingual test, FEMA initiated a National Periodic Test through DASEOC emergency communications platform as a Common Alerting Protocol message in English and Spanish. The EAS message was the disseminated via FEMA�s IPAWS system to the six states.
Broadcasting stations using DASDEC systems equipped with OmniLingual Alert Module software were able to display the alert in English, Spanish, or both, including the full expanded alert text, plus audio in both languages.
�The success of today�s test is exciting, as it indicates that we do indeed have the capacity to convey multilingual public alerts and warnings to the diverse communities we serve,� said Lillian McDonald, managing director of ECHO at Twin Cities Public Television in Minnesota.�
