Legislation from Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) promises to provide an emergency warning system through your cellphone. What's not explained is how this proposal will prioritize such alerts to get ahead of all the other traffic likely to jam cellular telephone, Blackberry pagers, and most other wireless systems during a natural or man-made crisis.
The proposal includes, among distribution methods, the NOAA weather radio system, recently relabelled NOAA "All Hazard Weather" radio, with its near-term promise of databurst tailored to locality and type of event to warn about.
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Complete legislation here:
http://commerce.senate.gov/pdf/s1753asrptd.pdfSenate Approves DeMint Alert System
Bipartisan WARN Act uses wireless technology to communicate critical information for weather and terror disasters
Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved the Warning, Alerts and Response Network (WARN) Act by a vote of 95-0. The bill, sponsored by U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) was added as an amendment to HR 4594, the SAFE Port Security Act. The WARN Act will create a national alert system by providing Americans with emergency information sent directly to their cell phones and other wireless devices.
“The WARN Act is an important step to help secure America’s homeland in the event of a disaster,” said DeMint. “It’s only a matter of time before the next hurricane, tornado, earthquake, chemical spill, or terrorist attack threatens the safety of our families and we must be prepared. We know that when disaster strikes, every minute counts. This will help first responders save lives by keeping people out of impacted areas and providing them with timely, accurate information.”
The WARN Act, cosponsored by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Ranking Member Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), is a major advance in weather and terrorist disaster preparedness. It modernizes the Emergency Broadcast System by utilizing all of the new modern communications technologies, such as cell phones, blackberries and other personal electronic devices to ensure Americans receive the alerts and warnings necessary to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters, manmade accidents and terrorist attacks. More than 200 million Americans currently subscribe to wireless services.
“With hurricane season upon us, we are reminded of how critical the WARN act is to help ensure that we are prepared for busy storm seasons,” said Commerce Chairman Stevens. “Considering the National Hurricane Center's continued predictions, we cannot afford to wait any longer. The United States could be hit with major hurricanes again this year, and the House and Senate must act swiftly to implement this important warning system.”
“We need a warning and alert system in this country that keeps pace with new technologies and an increasingly mobile society,” said Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs. “No longer is it adequate to depend on television and radios to disseminate absolutely critical public safety information.”
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), comprised of nearly 13,000 members, has endorsed the WARN Act, stating, “This legislation would create a nationwide communications system to make first responders and the public better informed and prepared for all hazards, including terrorist attacks.”
The WARN Act will:
* Establish a network for the transmission of alerts across a broad variety of media, including cell phones, blackberry, digital, analog, cable and satellite television and radio, as well as non-traditional media such as sirens.
* Provide federal, state and local emergency managers with the ability to send out geographically targeted alerts to the citizens at risk.
* Establish a grant program to help remote communities install sirens and other devices because of their lack of quality telecommunications infrastructure, ensuring that individuals in communities such as tornado alley, some of which may not have high cell phone penetration, still get warnings about threatening storms.
* Provide at least $106 million for the research and development of technologies and equipment to operate these alert systems.
“While we have made considerable progress in the War on Terror, the WARN Act will make a tangible difference that will benefit every American. It allows us to use everyday technology like cell phones to warn people at work or a mother picking up her kids from school of imminent danger that can be avoided. These are the kind of innovative and commonsense steps Americans expect their government to take to improve preparedness,” said Senator DeMint.
