Alabama’s updated Emergency Alert System plan has been approved.
This is the third state plan to pass muster under the FCC’s updated EAS requirements. The plans in Illinois and Nevada also have been OK’d.
Larry Wilkins, director of engineering services for the Alabama Broadcasters Association, said the plan was approved after the Alabama State Emergency Communications Committee added redundant sources for receiving national alerts.
“Alabama only has one PEP station, and the concern was if the PEP station had technical issues with a National Alert no one in the state would receive it. We added two additional sources approve for receiving National Alerts. National Public Radio’s NPR-1 channel and Sirius radio channel 001. Both of the state relay networks monitor all three sources. We are also installing Sirius receivers at several key stations around the state.”
