Larry Wilkins at the Alabama Broadcasters Association recently reminded broadcasters and cable systems to make sure their EAS equipment’s filters are properly set to receive the new “local area emergency” (LAE) code.
This code will be used by local area Emergency Management Agencies only. The filter should be set up, Wilkins said to “local areas” only. This will allow local EMA’s to issue alerts for effective areas only.
Statewide alerts, however, will still trigger the system since the FIPS code for statewide includes all the counties in the state.
The customization of the system was conceived by the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. Wilkins says that this feature is being used initially in Alabama to benefit the counties along the Gulf Coast.
