NOAA/NWS/DHS Event codes and when applied

[Haley]

I've posted before that I have an interest in event codes. Just a strange off shoot of my radio hobby. I guess my question(s) may be multiple parts. During the Boston manhunt, I posted on the active shooter thread, and got a few replies, but I did not want to derail a good thread. So my questions for that event are:

1. Why were there no alerts issued through NOAA/DHS/NWS during this event. Event codes that COULD have possibly been used would have included (but not limited to)
A. Law Enforcement Warning
B. Local Area Emergency
C. Civil Danger Warning
D. Civil Emergency Message
E. Shelter in-Place Warning


The West Texas explosion, is another example. Again event codes that could have been used:

A. Chemical Hazard Warning
B. Immediate Evacuation
C. Industrial Fire Warning
D. Hazardous Materials Warning

2. SO, if these types of codes do not get used for events like these, when do they? What is the criteria that would trigger them? Who makes the call on when they get used??

I will say, on the active shooter thread, ecps92 gave a good reply. Basically saying that it was all over the media already. Phone notifications, D.O.T. billboards ect., so no need, and he has very valid points.

Sorry if this has been a long post, but I am curious. Are there any emergency management people that post here? Appreciate any replies, even if just for discussion. Mike

 

[Thunderbolt]

I was wondering if the NOAA All-Hazards Radio system was used in Boston to alert people about the terrorist incident and subsequent manhunt. One of my friends in the Boston area, said her recently purchased Midland WR-120 didn't sound for any of the alerts that you mentioned. IMHO it would have made complete sense to alert the public using this method.

73's

Ron

 

[Haley]

Ron thank you for that information. I don't know anyone in that area, so its interesting to me that your friend did not recieve any alerts. It seems strange to me that FEMA/NOAA have tons of information on being prepared for these very types of events. An all-hazards radio is always on their check lists. I kept checking the NOAA all hazards map. And even the local Boston NWS office page. No alerts were issued for either of the events mentioned that I know of.

I should add I have noticed a trend over the years of following these codes. The NWS issues all the weather related advisory/watches/warnings and does an excellent job in my opinion. But when it comes to non-weather related events, I don't think they are the issuing agency. DHS/FEMA/NOAA or whoever does it, through them. If Im wrong someone please correct me. Mike

 

[ki4wbn]

The NWS offices are not the issuing agency (for non-weather events), but rather the "middle man" for getting the word out from the official agencies. Typically these are issued from the state Emergency Management level, but can also come from the federal level.

Usually the chain of it being issued is the local agency will contact the state agency and tell them the statement they would like to put out. The state agency pushes it out, and it goes through the alerting system of the NWS/NOAA weather radio. I know Texas for sure has the capability to do this (I work in EM here), and I'm sure most every state does, however few agencies remember they have the ability to create these messages, and quite honestly in both incidents I'm sure it was the last thing that came to mind.

 

[Haley]

Thank you for the reply ki4wbn, that clears up some of my questions. I agree with what you have said, about being the last thing on their minds. I just figured during incidents of such large scale that maybe EM would have some type of media relay or goto person(s) to get information to/through all available outlets. Thank you again for EM perspective, Mike

 

[ki4wbn]

Also, some local agencies do have the capability of issuing these as well, but most don't.

They typically do have a PIO who handles the media, and sometimes the other stuff, like EAS, however in the Boston case, they were spread extremely short, and in the West, TX case, the emergency manager likely held the "everything" position, managing response, media/PIO, and everything else. That is typical in a rural area.

Any other questions?

 

[Haley]

What you have said makes perfect sense. The rural vs. large metro area and their resource capabilities , has often crossed my mind.

And since you asked, I have noticed for several years that there are several new event codes that are not active/implemented. Does this take hearings or something along those lines to put them in service? Thanks, Mike

 

[ki4wbn]

Good overview of the system:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/ops2/ops24/images/hazFull.gif
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/images/mkx/pdf/hazcollect/HazCollect_brochure.pdf

 

[Haley]

Will check out those links! Thanks , Mike

 

[ki4wbn]

Not sure if it takes hearings or not, but the FCC makes the determination as to what alerts are implemented and so on. Because of the limitations of the software used and the NOAA weather radio transmitters, some only go out over the internet wire.

This is several years old, but kind of gives you a pretty good general idea of how it all happens:
https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/ecig-public/XvAB-3q8PKU

 

[rdale]

Boston does not have the ability to send alerts on their own. However MA does, and they did use the WEA system to alert the lockdown Friday night.

ki4wbn is talking about CAP. The state (and local) certainly had the ability to send out a LAE using weather radio and the weather wire for the Boston event. In Texas, do you really need to send out an evacuation alert or hazmat bulletin after your town just blew up?

Realize that only a few percentage of people (well less than 10%) have a weather alert radio. Many of them don't leave it on. Did anyone NOT find out about this because their NWR didn't go off? I highly doubt it...

 

[ki4wbn]

ki4wbn is talking about CAP. The state (and local) certainly had the ability to send out a LAE using weather radio and the weather wire for the Boston event. In Texas, do you really need to send out an evacuation alert or hazmat bulletin after your town just blew up?

Realize that only a few percentage of people (well less than 10%) have a weather alert radio. Many of them don't leave it on. Did anyone NOT find out about this because their NWR didn't go off? I highly doubt it...

True.
Didn't really want to go into the WEA side of things.

 

[zerg901]

I dont think that any EAS alerts were issued for the Boston Marathon incident.

NWR can make a good backup system for reverse 911 type systems.

 

[ki4wbn]

NWR can make a good backup system for reverse 911 type systems.

Yes and no. NWR is not widely used in some areas, and reverse 911 are getting harder and harder to effectively use, because many people are doing away with landlines.

There are products that residents can opt into that will do the same thing as reverse 911, and send emails, or call cell phones based on an address (as well as import the 911 data).

WEA is a good technology though, because most people have cell phones, and it alerts your residents, in addition to anybody who is visiting or travelling through. The only limitation of it is that it is a alert method, not a information dissemination method.

 

[Haley]

rdale, I agree with what you are saying about people and NWR radios. I know many people who have the radios off during tornado season here. Some just do not have them programmed correctly ect., or just plain dont understand how they work. So I see what your saying. WEA seems to be the quickest way to hit the most people---not all but most.

ki4wbn, I have often thought reverse 911 might be good as a backup to other means of information, for the very reason you stated. Less and less people have landlines. Is there a limit to the amount of data that can be transmitted by WEA? I have never gotten one on my Iphone 4s. Thank you for that last link, very insightful.

zerg901, your right, maybe as secondary device NWR radio serves a purpose.

Thanks again, I have learned quite a bit from these posts. Mike

 

[Sprinter06]

A Radar detector alert sub thread I suppose...

Speaking of alerts... What ever happened to the alert system on the more high end radar detectors? These had the capability of warning you of construction areas, accidents, etc.. I never saw any use of this system ever even in my travels cross country. Anybody's thoughts? More states are outlawing them. There are laws on the books for local municipalities as well that the average Joe doesn't know banning them. For someone on the road even commercially such as truck drivers it would be handy even with GPS units to be notified if you are approaching an area where we should slow down a little. I can understand them not liking speed detection but if you are going that fast then instant on radar has ya. When the alert goes off he has already hit the berries and cherries!

 

[ki4wbn]

Right now the data/character limit for WEA is 90 characters.

Some areas are still working on the infrastructure, and only certain carriers have really bought into the system-the big ones. However, each day more and more phones are capable of receiving the alerts and more and more infrastructure is coming online.

 

[Haley]

ki4bn, went to the FEMA site and just answered my questions on the WEA. I believe that may end up be the primary alert method in the near future. Certain circumstances may require other method/means, but really looks to be the most "bang for your buck" .

Sprinter 06, I recall what you are talking about----but never saw it in action.

 

[ki4wbn]

Sprinter06, can't really say anything about the radar detectors, however there is talks of getting alerting stuff into vehicles, since many of them have so much technology in them already, however as far as I know, it's only talk. No specific planning has been developed. As of right now, EAS alerting over the radio is the only way (or WEA from your cell phone).

 

[Haley]

ki4wbn ,Must have been typing as you replied!