Emergency Alert System

In cooperation with the Federal Communication Commission (ECC) Emergency Alert System, NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) serves as a network of radio stations that broadcast continuous weather information direct from NWS offices. The NWR network consists of 850 transmitters that cover all 50 states, adjacent coastal waters, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and the US Pacific Territories. 

Local and county emergency operations centers can input messages into the EAS, as well as radio and television stations. FCC rules require that broadcasters monitor at least two independent sources for emergency information to ensure that emergency information gets delivered to viewers and listeners. 

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Improvement Item ACEMD had to contact SC Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) to initiate the Emergency Alerting System (EAS) which only works if radio station is in auto position. ACEMD did not have (EAS) monitoring capability to determine if EAS message had been transmitted to citizens. SCEMD resource issues can impact initiation of EAS. Procedure to confirm dissemination of public protective action notifications should be developed. 

Radiological emergency plans call for a prompt Alert and Notification system. If needed, this prompt Alert and Notification System will be activated quickly to inform the public of any potential threat from natural or man-made events. This system uses either sirens, tone alert radios, route alerting (the "Paul Revere" method), or a combination to notify the public to tune their radios or television to an Emergency Alert System (EAS) station. 

Like many fellow citizens, I felt persuaded and convinced. I felt I understood the case, the call, the subject matter and the urgency. I assumed the majority of the citizen s understood as much. Did the majority of my fellow citizens really understand many of the words, phrases and statements that filled the airwaves I wondered if they really understood their responsibilities as called for by this sudden awakening in the national consciousness not only with the present threats, but also the potential threats which led to the new Department of Homeland Security emergency alert system. 

A satisfactory facility emergency alarm system must meet three additional requirements. It must, at a minimum, immediately alert all the people on the site. (A single signaling device should be adequate for small sites however, large facilities may require many devices placed to reach all occupied areas of the site.) The system must function even when the facility has a general power failure. Alarm activation controls should be located so that an emergency condition is unlikely to prevent access to them. 

If there is a code red or severe terror alert, you should pay attention to radio and television broadcasts to know right away whether a shelter-in-place alert is announced for your area. You will hear from the local police, emergency coordinators, or government on the radio and on television emergency broadcast system if you need to shelter in place. 

A physician on duty is alerted by HERS (Health Emergency Response System), and Jane s microbot is now linked with the surgeon s workstation. The physician analyzes the heart condition online based on the data being transmitted by the microbot. 

A somewhat similar pictorial-numeric-color system has been announced by the Fisher Scientific Company as their Chem-Alert system. This system uses the NFPA 704 numbering concepts as designed for fire and other emergency situations. It incorporates a slightly different color scheme for overall hazard and uses simpler pictorials to describe precautionary measures. It also is intended as an adjunct to the ANSI Z129.1 system. 

Call the emergency broadcast system to alert the public. 

General emergency Actual or projected severe core damage Off-site doses exceeding the PAGs Recommend to off-site that they implement pre-determined protective actions off-site Activate public alerting system Evacuate the area near the plant and shelter remainder of plume EPZ Place grazing animals on stored feed... 

The preferred means of alerting employees to a fire onergency must be part of the plan. An employee alarm system must be available throughout the woikplace complex and must be used for emergency alerting for evacuation. The alarm system may be voice communication or sound signals such as bells, whistles, or horns. Employees must know the evacuation signal. 

The selection of liquid sodium hypochlorite rather than chlorine gas is often based on actual or potential costs to address safety issues. The Uniform Fire Code and (DSHA requirements often increase the cost of using chlorine gas. Depending on a number of factors, gas containment and neutralization scrubbers may be needed. Also, there may be limits to storage inventory that require more frequent deliveries. Extensive emergency response plans may include elaborate evacuation plans and alert systems. 

Employers, at a minimum, must have an emergency action plan that will facilitate the prompt evacuation of employees when there is an unwanted release of a highly hazardous chemical. This means that the employer s plan will be activated by an alarm system to alert employees when to evacuate, and that employees who are physically impaired will have the necessary support and assistance to get them to a safe zone. The intent of these requirements is to alert and move employees quickly to a safe zone. The use of process control centers or buildings as safe areas is discouraged. Recent catastrophes indicate that lives are lost in these structures because of their location and because they are not necessarily designed to withstand over-pressures from shock waves resulting from explosions in the process area. 

Texas City has a four-tiered warning system for emergencies. Level Four includes activation ol the city s warning sirens, the signal for residents to tune into radio and TV broadcasts for additional emergency information. They have had 4 Level Four alerts in 5 years. 

Alarms are used to alert operators of serious, and potentially hazardous, deviations in process conditions. Key instruments are fitted with switches and relays to operate audible and visual alarms on the control panels and annunciator panels. Where delay, or lack of response, by the operator is likely to lead to the rapid development of a hazardous situation, the instrument would be fitted with a trip system to take action automatically to avert the hazard such as shutting down pumps, closing valves, operating emergency systems. 

Communications plays a vital role in alerting and notifying both in facility personnel and outside emergency agencies that a major incident has occurred. Communication systems should not be arranged so a single point failure exists. Of primary concern is the provision of a backup source of power and a remote backup activation and signaling post. 

Each type of emergency alarm or signal must clearly inform those onsite of the actions to be taken. This requires training and testing of the alarm so personnel can recognize the alarm and take appropriate action. Some of these alarms may be automatic. For example, detection of a fire may be signaled directly by the protection or detection system rather than by an individual. This alarm signal may alert not only personnel in the immediate area, but all facility personnel and the community fire department. 

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