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              Public Safety
              Cybersecurity and Communications Reliability Division

  The Emergency Alert System (EAS) Cybersecurity and Communications Reliability Division
      

          
        Network Reliability Resources
                DIRS
                Emergency Alert System
                Wireless Emergency Alerts
                Incident Management and InvestigationsThe Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system commonly used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as weather and AMBER alerts, to affected communities. EAS Participants – radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers – deliver local alerts on a voluntary basis, but they are required to provide the capability for the President to address the public during a national emergency.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the FCC, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service (NWS) work collaboratively to maintain the EAS and Wireless Emergency Alerts, which are the two main components of the national public warning system and enable authorities at all levels of government to send urgent emergency information to the public.

FEMA is responsible for any national-level activation, tests, and exercises of the EAS.

The FCC's role includes establishing technical standards for EAS Participants, procedures for EAS Participants to follow in the event the system is activated, and testing protocols for EAS Participants.

Alerts are created by authorized federal, state, and local authorities, typically through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System.  The FCC does not create or transmit EAS alerts.

The majority of EAS alerts originate from the National Weather Service in response to severe weather events, but an increasing number of state, local, territorial, and tribal authorities also send alerts. In addition, the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards network, the only federally-sponsored radio transmission of warning information to the public, is part of the EAS.

**Resources**

FCC Urges EAS Participants to Secure EAS Equipment
	FCC Issues Enforcement Advisory to Promote Understanding of EAS and WEA Rules
	Multilingual Alerting for the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts
	FCC/FEMA Emergency Alerting Webinar
	Slide Presentation: A Guide to Emergency Alert System (EAS)
	and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) System
	Multilingual Alerting Workshop
	Emergency Alerting Roundtable
	Emergency Alerting Workshop
	How Public Safety Officials Can Issue Emergency Alerts
	EAS Accessibility FAQs
	FEMA's Integrated Public Alert & Warning System
	EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS) and EAS Handbook
	State Emergency Communications Committee Resources
	EAS Rules (47 C.F.R. Part 11)
	FEMA Best Practices
	National Weather Service
	Next Generation Warning System Grant Program | FEMA.gov
	IPAWS Process Playbook Version 2.0 | FEMA.gov

**Archives**

2023 PSHSB Grants Limited Extension of Emergency Alert System Deadline for The Cromwell Group
	2023 PSHSB Grants Limited Extension of Emergency Alert System Deadline for GCI Communications Corp.
	2023 PSHSB Grants Limited Extension of EAS Deadline to KCAL LLC, and WPCW Inc
	2023 PSHSB Grants Limited Extension of EAS Deadline to Mississippi Authority for Educational Television
	2023  FEMA and FCC Plan Nationwide Emergency Alert Test for October 4th
	2023 PSHSB Reminds EAS/WEA Participants to Transmit Accessible Alerts 10/4
	2023 PSHSB Offers Further Information and Assistance with ETRS Filings
	2022 FCC Acts to Strengthen the Security of Nation's Alerting Systems
	2022 PSHSB Announces Comment Dates for EAS Accessibility NPRM and NOI
	2022 FCC Sets Dates for Improved Emergency Alert System Messages
	2022 FCC Improves Emergency Alert System Messages
	2022 Chairwoman Proposes Action To Strengthen Security Of Emergency Alert Systems
	2022 FCC Urges EAS Participants to Secure EAS Equipment
	2022 PSHSB Announces Certain EAS and WEA Compliance Dates
	2022 FCC Proposes to Improve the Accessibility and Clarity of Emergency Alerts
	2022 FCC Releases Report on August 2021 Test of the Emergency Alert System
	2021 FCC to Consider Modifications to Emergency Alert System Messages
	2021 Reminder of Nationwide Emergency Alert Test on Aug. 11
	2021 FCC Reminds Emergency Alert System Participants of Accessibility Requirements
	2021 Nationwide Emergency Alerting Test Scheduled for August 11th
	2021 Alert Reporting System (ARS) Now Open for filing EAS State Plans
	2021 FCC Proposes to Further Strengthen Emergency Alerting
	2021 Enforcement Bureau Reminds EAS Participants of Compliance Obligations
	2020 FCC Waives 2020 EAS Test Reporting System Filing Requirement
	2020 FCC Report on 2019 Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test
	2019 Initial Findings Regarding the 2019 Nationwide EAS Test
	2019PSHSB Reminds EAS Participants of Form Three Deadline
	2019 FEMA and FCC Announce Nationwide Test in August
	2019 FCC Reminds Video Providers to Issue Accessible Emergency Alerts
	2019 FCC Report on 2018 Nationwide Emergency Alert Test
	2018 Initial Findings Regarding the 2018 Nationwide EAS Test
	2018 FCC Announces Nationwide Emergency Alert Test
	2018 Report on 2017 Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test
	2018 Amendment of Part 11 of the Commission's Rules Regarding the Emergency Alert System
	2017 Blue Alerts Report & Order
	2017 EAS Test and EAS Test Reporting System ETRS
	20156th Report and Order (pdf)
	2013 Reports On Lessons Learned From The 2011 Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test (pdf)
	2012 5th Report & Order (pdf)
	2011 4th Report & Order (pdf)
	2011 3rd Report & Order (pdf)
	2007 2nd Report & Order and FNPRM (Next Generation EAS) (pdf)
	2005 1st Report & Order and FNPRM (Digital) (pdf)
	2005 Report & Order (Wireless) (pdf)
	2004 NPRM (Digital) (pdf)
	2004 NPRM (Wireless Cable Systems) (pdf)
	2002 Report & Order (New Codes, e.g., Amber Alert) (pdf)
	1998 3rd Report & Order (Channel Override) (pdf)
	1997 2nd Report & Order (Cable Systems) (pdf)
	1995 Memorandum Opinion and Order (Exemption for FM Translators) (pdf)
	1994 Report & Order and FNPRM (Establishment of EAS) (pdf)

**Related Material**

April 10, 2018 - ReportReport and Recommendations, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, January 13, 2018 False Alert
	April 5, 2018 - Senate Commerce Committee Field Hearing on Hawaii False Missile Alert
	Testimony of Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel
		Testimony of Lisa M. Fowlkes, Chief, Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau
		Testimony of Nicole McGinnis, Deputy Chief, Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau
	December 5, 2016 - White PaperEarthquake Early Warnings:  An Engineering Analysis

        
        
                  **Bureau/Office:**
  Public Safety and Homeland Security
            
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    Public SafetyEmergency Alert System
            
                          **Updated:**
                Wednesday, December 20, 2023
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