# How long before EBS would be able to broadcast a warning?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-ebs-would-be-able-to-broadcast-a-warning/453349>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 18, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-ebs-would-be-able-to-broadcast-a-warning/453349 "2008-06-18T15:42:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-ebs-would-be-able-to-broadcast-a-warning/453349/1 "2008-06-18T15:42:57Z")

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I’m writing a story and I need to know how long before a real impending nuclear emergency were to occur until the former Emergency Broadcast System (as it existed in the late 90s) would have been able to be invoked.

Let’s say a nuclear bomb went off in the middle of the country with no warning. Or let’s say that lots of nuclear missiles were to be sent from Russia to America. Would there be a different response time for each of these?

What if it had happened in the height of the Cold War Nuclear Threat (late 60s-early 80s?)

Seconds? Minutes? Obviously it wouldnt take an hour because then we’d all be dead from the missile, right?

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**Author:** ![freekalette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-ebs-would-be-able-to-broadcast-a-warning/453349/2 "2008-06-18T16:55:53Z")

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Is that really what it’s for? Nuclear holocaust? I always just assumed it was thee for any major emergency situation that could potentially affect everyone. (I remember during 9/11 being somewhat bewildered that the EBS never issued an alert.)

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**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-ebs-would-be-able-to-broadcast-a-warning/453349/3 "2008-06-18T17:33:52Z")

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Yes, it really was (it’s now defunct–replaced by EAS) for nuclear war. The [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Broadcast_System) page has great info. on how it operated, how orders to activate it worked, and a 1971 false alarm that showed huge failings in the system.

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**Author:** ![freekalette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-ebs-would-be-able-to-broadcast-a-warning/453349/4 "2008-06-18T18:01:13Z")

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Thanks for the link! That was definitely informative. Ignorance fought!

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-ebs-would-be-able-to-broadcast-a-warning/453349/5 "2008-06-18T19:18:22Z")

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Note from the wiki page that it took 26 minutes to recall the 1971 false alarm (and even then they screwed it up.)

Since 1971 things have gotten more computerized and automated, of course, but I’d bet it could still easily take 20 minutes for people to get the correct codes, verify the message, activate the communication chain and get the message out.

Or, as in the [Minot ammonia leak](http://www.in-forum.com/specials/minot/NTSBreport/230777.pdf) the system could just easily fail completely.