The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System office at the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a new leader; but his face is familiar to broadcasters.
Manny Centeno was promoted to director this summer. He succeeds Antwane Johnson, who’d held the position since 2009.
Centeno has a long history with the IPAWS program, working in a variety of roles since 2010. He most recently was program manager and spearheaded several of the nationwide tests of EAS and WEA.
FEMA says more than 1,800 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial alerting authorities use IPAWS to send critical public alerts in their jurisdictions.
In a statement announcing Centeno’s appointment, the agency said: “His work has been integral to propelling the program to new heights. Chief among his accomplishments is his oversight of the National Public Warning System and Primary Entry Point (PEP) system, which helped ensure emergency communications can reach more than 90% of the public under all conditions.”
While specializing in emergency and resilient communications, Centeno, a former radio broadcaster, has a varied background that also includes experience in management, system engineering, manufacturing, film and television production.
In August, Centeno and his team took part in the Monthly Siren Demonstration at KHKA(AM) in Honolulu, as part of the IPAWS Training Series. KHKA is the most recent station to participate in FEMA’s PEP resiliency or “hardening” program; those facility upgrades include increased sheltering capabilities, expanded broadcast capacity and sustainable power generation for all types of hazardous events.
Radio World: Tell us about your background, especially as a former small-time broadcaster.
Manny Centeno: My crisis communication experience began in 1989 while working as a radio station operator in the Caribbean. As a broadcaster, I responded to emergencies such as devastating major hurricanes affecting the eastern Caribbean.
In those scenarios, it is common to see the destruction of critical infrastructure including the destruction of all communications and power generation and distribution for months. In most cases, the radio facilities I operated were the only ones that continued broadcasting through these emergencies reaching more than 3 million people in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
These events required working day and night with local leaders, emergency managers, federal authorities, first responders and the public to get critical information to the affected islands. It was the community, coming together in a time of need, that got us through those events.
I learned and witnessed the lifesaving potential of effective emergency communications to the public and the negative effects of what the lack of preparedness and resiliency can lead to.
RW: You’ve been very hands-on when it comes to national testing of Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts. When is the next national test of the EAS?
Centeno: Legislation passed in 2015 requires FEMA to conduct nationwide tests of IPAWS at least once every three years. The most recent national test reached millions of mobile phones across the country via Wireless Emergency Alerts, radio and television via the Emergency Alert System, and other communication pathways. We last tested on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023.
FEMA does not intend to conduct a nationwide IPAWS test for 2024, but we are planning one for fall 2025. [Read about FEMA’s findings about the most recent test.]
RW: Do you plan to increase routine FEMA tests for participating stations as well as Local Primary and PEP stations?
Centeno: FEMA regularly tests radio stations that are participants in the National Public Warning System. FEMA IPAWS also conducts specific NPWS Primary Entry Point Station special broadcasts to routinely assess readiness and response with our station partners, local state, Tribal, and territorial emergency management and first responders.
I am a firm believer that the nation must continue to invest in all forms of resilient communications with the public, including AM radio, as an important way to get information to the public before, during and after disasters. FEMA encourages broadcasters to work with their state and local officials to update and exercise EAS plans in accordance with FCC rules.
RW: What more can you and FEMA do to combat the negative view of AM radio, reflected in the automotive industry’s decision to eliminate AM radios from certain vehicles?
Centeno: IPAWS is committed to addressing equity in alerting — not only by continuing to adopt technological advancement, such as an expansion into satellite technology, streaming media providers, smart home technology and other possible communications methods, but we also want to preserve the importance of emergency communications with the public using pathways such as free AM/FM radio.
Millions of Americans listen to AM radio every day, especially in rural America, tribal communities and major cities. AM radio plays an essential role in our nation’s emergency communication infrastructure. Its ability to transmit signals over long distances, wide accessibility and superior resiliency have made it an invaluable tool for disseminating critical information during various emergency situations.
Multiple natural disasters have highlighted that there is no substitute for AM radio. When other forms of communication have failed in the past, broadcast radio has remained operational.
AM radio also serves as a vital platform for connecting diverse communities across the U.S. For example, according to the National Association of Broadcasters, many of the nearly 4,500 AM stations across the U.S., 16% or approximately 735 stations serve niche or minority audiences, often delivering content in languages other than English. In rural America, where reliable cellular or broadband access can be scarce, AM radio is an essential lifeline.
Radio serves as the backbone of the Emergency Alert System. There are 77 NPWS PEPs across the country, the vast majority of which are AM stations. These are designated radio stations whose combined signals cover 90% of the American population and have a direct connection to FEMA and the National Weather Service.
Once a designated NPWS PEP station receives an emergency alert, it broadcasts the message to other connected radio and television stations. This means that when the EAS is properly maintained and operated, emergency messages are relayed from one station to another, ensuring the rapid and efficient dissemination of critical information without use of the internet. It is not uncommon for the internet to fail during significant emergencies. NPWS PEP stations are constructed to operate even under the most extreme conditions.
With all of this in mind, I am committed to demonstrating the value of all communications tools or pathways during a disaster, particularly the most resilient ones like AM radio. IPAWS is constantly scanning the marketplace to identify innovative ways to reach the public during an emergency.
RW: Does the ZoneCasting FM geotargeting system from GeoBroadcast Solutions, which recently gained FCC approval, pose any benefits or challenges for EAS?
Centeno: IPAWS is always monitoring and testing new alerting technologies. We work in partnership with other federal agencies who also conduct their own research into emerging innovative tools. We look forward to updates from the FCC on promising innovations that will make our nation’s alerting technology more resilient.
RW: What is the future of IPAWS?
Centeno: We at IPAWS see opportunities for incremental growth and identifying opportunities to share lifesaving information while working with our broadcasting partners and other stakeholders. We continue to embrace new technologies, but we cannot do it alone.
The IPAWS program was founded on cooperation between federal, state, tribal and territorial partners. The “I” stands for integrated, because through the integration of diverse alerting pathways, FEMA was able to create the world’s leading alerting ecosystem. It is through that continued integration of many perspectives and partnerships that the program and this nation’s emergency communications with the public will continue to elevate, evolve and ultimately save lives. The broadcast community continues to be an extremely important partner with FEMA now and in the future.
FEMA and IPAWS are dedicated to evolving alongside emerging technology, through incorporation and integration with HD Radio, ATSC 3.0, smart technologies, satellites and others. We’re considering building new partnerships with technology developers, satellite service providers, the automobile industry and more.
Radio broadcasters provide an invaluable service to the community by providing continuing emergency information to the public in times of crisis. This requires hard work, planning and preparation that takes place on days like today. I thank our broadcast partners for their continued support of IPAWS and the emergency alert system to keep our communities safe.
RW: What is your take on NAB’s assertion that IPAWS “fully endorses” the NAB proposal on software-based EAS? Particularly in light of an alternative solution already presented by major broadcast manufacturers. Does FEMA actually endorse such things?
Centeno: IPAWS has met with the NAB standards committee and discussed the possibility of software-based EAS solutions. Any proposed software solution that is fully compliant with all applicable requirements for both over-the-air monitoring and monitoring IPAWS per FCC rules may be worthy of consideration.
The IPAWS mission is to disseminate public emergency alerts through various communication pathways in a timely manner. IPAWS does not endorse any specific product but enthusiastically welcomes discussion about innovative solutions that can enhance the timely and effective distribution of alerts to the public.
