[cifnmedia] HOMELAND SECURITY LEVERAGES NOAA ALL-HAZARDS NETWORK FOR ALERTS AND
- From: Sean & Kimberly Aaron <cifn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: CIFN LIST <cifnmedia@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2004 00:33:28 -0700 (PDT)
Release Date: June 17, 2004
HOMELAND SECURITY LEVERAGES NOAA ALL-HAZARDS NETWORK FOR ALERTS AND
WARNINGS
Alert and Warning Resources Supplemented by NOAA Capability
(Washington, DC) June 17, 2004 - The U.S. Department of Homeland
Security's Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection
Directorate
and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the U.S.
Department of Commerce today signed an agreement that allows Homeland
Security to send critical all-hazards alerts and warnings directly
through
the NOAA All-Hazards Network. The Network supplements the existing alert
and warning resources and the capability serves as an additional
delivery
mechanism for sending life-saving information nationally, regionally or
locally. In addition, Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) will continue to manage the Emergency Alert System (EAS)
that includes the NOAA All - Hazards Network.
"This agreement is an example of interagency cooperation that takes
advantage of existing capabilities that can now be applied to protect
the
homeland from both man-made and natural disasters," said Lt. Gen. Frank
Libutti USMC (Ret.), Under Secretary for Information Analysis and
Infrastructure Protection, Department of Homeland Security. "We feel
strongly that the ability to put redundant systems and capabilities in
place increases the likelihood that emergency information is delivered
to
targeted populations with minimal delay."
"Critical information will now be available when people most need it,"
said Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher USN (Ret.), Under Secretary of
Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator. "What began
as
NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts now extends to a range of products and
all-hazards purposes. It's gratifying to know that many more lives can
now
be better protected."
Under this agreement, Homeland Security now has the authority to develop
an alert and warning message that can be delivered directly to NOAA and
broadcast to affected areas. The system is capable of reaching over 97
percent of the United States territory on a 24/7 basis through
broadcasts
in 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and Saipan. Radios
and televisions currently equipped with SAME (Specific Area Message
Encoding) allow listeners to pre-select the categories of alerts they
wish
to receive in chosen listening areas. Broadcast receivers are located in
emergency operations centers and many public sites and workplaces.
Public
Schools in some states are similarly equipped.
In addition, the agreement provides that same message, distributed
through
NOAA, will be distributed locally or nationally over FEMA's Emergency
Alert System (EAS) at the local level which Americans regularly view as
a
crawl on the bottom of their television screens and is broadcast over
local radio stations.
"This agreement furthers a long-standing relationship with NOAA and
enhances the federal government's ability to provide American
communities
the information needed in times of emergency," said Michael D. Brown,
Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Department of
Homeland Security. "While Homeland Security's Emergency Alert System
will
continue to be the backbone of our alert and warning notifications, we're
pleased to develop additional means of communicating with citizens."
Beyond the new capability to broadcast Homeland Security Alerts and
warnings coupled with protective measure information, the NOAA system
will
continue to broadcast weather forecasts and warnings, including news
about
severe storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and volcanic activity;
chemical spills and bio-hazardous releases; and, in some states, Amber
Alerts. Special populations such as the disabled or the elderly can
connect NOAA All-Hazards radios via plug-ins to attention-getting
devices,
such as strobe lights, pagers, bed-shakers, personal computers and text
printers.
Sean A. Aaron (CIFN*1)
Central Illinois Fire Network
cifn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.geocities.com/central_illinois_firenet
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