Broadcasters in Alabama now have redundant sources of receiving national EAS alerts.
“The Alabama State Emergency Communications Committee was recently informed that since our state only has one Primary Entry Point (PEP) station, WJOX(AM) Birmingham, we need to put in place a redundant source of receiving national alerts,” wrote SECC Chairman Larry Wilkins in the engineering newsletter of the Alabama Broadcasters Association. That prompt came from the FCC.
“They recommended National Public Radio’s NPR-1 channel and SiriusXM barker channel,” Wilkins said.
Several public stations now are monitoring NPR-1. “We are working with other NPR stations as well. In addition, we will be furnishing SiriusXM receivers to several key stations around the state,” Wilkins wrote.
ABA plans to send all stations a revised EAS monitoring assignment sheet.
“To ensure all stations receive the new monitor assignment data, please send the engineer or operations manager’s name and email to the SECC. Please include the stations using your EAS equipment.”
State Emergency Communications Committees are now required to submit their EAS plans and report annually to the FCC after a recent set of rule changes. The commission has only approved the plans of Illinois and Nevada so far, according to its website.
