Early this morning was the second EAS test this week, and one of several in recent months. The test consists of a large crawler on the top of the TV screen, with a lengthy message, followed by “Message will exit automatically” and “Effective until 3:00.” Except it goes on and on, for hours, way beyond the stated exit time. While it’s on, it’s not possible to change channels, nor even play a previously-recorded show on my Tivo. The only way out is to unplug everything and reboot the system.
First of all, what kind of crappy system is this, that needs to be “tested” so often, and whose test never quits? And you’d think a simple 5-minute test would suffice, instead of something so intrusive. And why bother listing a cut-off time, if it is extended hours beyond that time?
According to the EAS web site, “The next test will assess the effectiveness of mitigation strategies and the successfulness of implementing the EAS Test After-Action Report and Improvement Plan recommendations.” (written in 2011)
They don’t normally last long, maybe 30 seconds max. If rebooting your TiVo or whatever makes the test go away, then apparently the test is screwing up your system and causing it to get stuck somehow.
There are some regular tests you know about, like in George Bush’s town the test the nucular plant sirens every Monday @ noon. What happens if there’s a meltdown @ 11:59, or if there’s an actual fire on the day of the planned fire drill; how many people would ignore it thinking it’s the scheduled test?
It’s fun when they test the emergency system at work. Work phones ring, cell phones ring, a listserv message comes in, a red bar comes up on the homepage, and the emergency address system can be heard all through town.
Perhaps it is a local thing, but one would think that a national warning system (The Russians have lobbed one at us) would be the same. I have not seen it advertised, either, but the sirens rise and fall in a test. If there really is one on the way, they are constant. I believe the few tornado warnings I’ve heard were constant, but I was busy climbing to the roof to get a better view.
The other end of the county has a nuke plant, a prison, & volunteer FD, I couldn’t tell you any difference, especially between the first two, which are both conditions that I should take some action upon hearing.
As a survivor of Agnew in 72 and a couple other floods and events since them, I don’t care what kind of pain it is ------- THE DAMN THING WORKS. And I can live with that.
I believe that the little man that waves a fan in front of the siren to make it change noise will run away, and the siren will be a steady sound. Hopefully everyone will realize, “Oh my goodness, a different sound! There must be a real emergency! Run away, run away!”
The test that’s been running lately has no sound whatsoever, just the unending crawler. Maybe that’s why they keep running the test: to get the siren working.
I’m probably going to be screwed if I’m in a building and it catches fire. As an IT contractor I spend a lot of time in office buildings at night. Which means I have to sit through all their fire alarm testing
