Is the emergency alert system ever used for anything besides storms?

[boffking]

Whenever I hear it, it is almost always for one of three things:

1. A test
2. Thunderstorm
3. Flood

IIRC, they also use the EAS to announce blizzard warnings. Is it ever used for non-weather emergencies?

[Telemark]

It’s main purpose is to enable the President to communicate to the country within 10 minutes of a national emergency. It’s never been activated, not even on 9/11.

It’s also used for severe storms, tornado warnings, and now AMBER alerts.

Emergency Alert System

The number of event types in the national system has grown to eighty. At first, all but three of the events (civil emergency message, immediate evacuation, and emergency action notification [national emergency]) were weather-related (such as a tornado warning). Since then, several classes of non-weather emergencies have been added, including, in most states, the AMBER Alert System for child abduction emergencies.

[snfaulkner]

When the nukes start flying, you can take comfort in hearing Trump’s voice over the EAS before you are vaporized.
I just gave myself the wicked creeps.

[nearwildheaven]

Didn’t Illinois stop using it for Amber Alerts, at least on phones, when so many people complained about things like being repeatedly awakened for a child abduction hundreds of miles away? I certainly would too.

[snfaulkner]

@snfaulkner

When the nukes start flying, you can take comfort in hearing Trump’s voice over the EAS before you are vaporized.
I just gave myself the wicked creeps.

Mod’s

I apologize for the political jab in GQ. I’m a bit loopy and need to go home where the beer and bed is.

[Lord_Feldon]

Ohio uses it for amber alerts. I think it’s also used occasionally for things like chemical spills. There’s a list of all the non-weather event codes here, and the text of a warning for a chemical fire after a train derailment here.