First-Ever National Emergency Alert System Test Uncovers Gaps

Nov. 10--If yesterday's first-ever nationwide broadcast of the Emergency Alert System is how Uncle Sam plans to save us from impending doom, then we're in trouble, say radio talk show hosts who blasted the Federal Communications Commission's trial run, which experienced its own mini-emergency.

"It was a disaster. ... How do you fail your own emergency alert test? ... All you hear is crrrghhhh," said 96.9 FM radio host Michael Graham.

"If anything happens, we're toast," ranted Mike Felger on 98.5, the Sports Hub. "If I'd have told you yesterday that we are completely incapable of reaching the entire country with a broadcast message at the same time, you would say 'Felger, you idiot.' It turns out that's the case."

While state and Boston police did not report any upsurges in 911 calls, as some had predicted, the 2 p.m. alert, meant to be broadcast simultaneously on as many as 30,000 TV and radio stations, was plagued by crosstalk, static, crackling and dead air.

"The #Emergency Alert System test broke our cable TV. Nothing but screen saying "Sony DVD Player"," tweeted a woman in Virginia. "We had the #Emergency Alert System test, but we're NOT getting back the regular programming as on 2:14 eastern time."

But Jamie Barnett, chief of the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, defended the test:

"The Nationwide EAS Test served the purpose for which it was intended -- to identify gaps and generate a comprehensive set of data to help strengthen our ability to communicate during real emergencies. Based on preliminary data, large regions of the country received the test but some areas did not. We are currently in the process of collecting and analyzing data and will reach a conclusion when that process is complete."

rweir@bostonherald.com

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