Was Today’s Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test a Failure?
- Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:30pm by
Liz Klimas
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For the first time today the Emergency Alert System took over television and radio airwaves nationwide to conduct a test from the Emergency Alert System. But just how successful was this test?
According to the New York Times, some were reporting seeing the test work perfectly at its scheduled time while others were delayed or never saw the message at all:
Many of the reported failures affected cable and satellite television subscribers, and some were quite head-scratching: Some DirecTV subscribers said their TV sets played the Lady Gaga song “Paparazzi” when the test was underway. Some Time Warner Cable subscribers in New York said the test never appeared on screen. Some Comcast subscribers in northern Virginia said their TV sets were switched over to QVC before the alert was shown.
In some cases the test messages were delayed, perhaps because they were designed to trickle down from one place to many. A viewer in Minneapolis said he saw the message about three minutes late. A viewer in Chattanooga, Tenn., said she saw it about 10 minutes late.
Business Insider’s Zeke Miller reports that at as late as 2:09, they were still waiting for the test to run in New York. Business Insider reports this statement by FEMA Spokeswoman, Rachel Racusen:
“The nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System test was administered and the FCC and FEMA are currently collecting data about the results. This initial test was the first time we have tested the reach and scope of this technology and what additional improvements that should be made to the system as we move forward. Only through comprehensively testing, analyzing, and improving these technologies can we ensure an effective and reliable national emergency alert and warning system. We thank all of our partners who made this test possible and look forward to working with all our stakeholders to improve this current technology and build a robust, resilient, and fully accessible next generation alerting system that can provide timely and accurate alerts to the American people.”
This tweet made last night reflects how many on the twittershere feel about the test.
Gizmodo reported that National Journal’s Marc Ambinder wrote, the Federal Emergency Management Association acknowledged that a “glitch” occurred, which could be related to the equipment of cable and satellite providers.
Tweet from Marc Ambinder.
Before this first nationwide test, emergency alerts were controlled by local jurisdictions. Glitches like what happened today is clearly why we have tests.
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Comments (273)
ErinLindsey
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:54pmI heard it on the radio (sounded like someone was playing an old Styx record backwards)
What did it look like on tv?
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:09pmEpic fail on my tv.
Report Post »Marci
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:15pmNever saw it here in Arizona.
Report Post »bellaS
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:15pmI heard it in CA it sounded horrible on the radio and I had to reset 2 of my TV’s they got stuck on the last channel that I had on TV last night could not change the channel. The alert was very much a pain in the butt.
Report Post »escape_from_socialism
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:17pmAfter that failure I’m even more scary, cuz knowing this orwelian govt. they will start to fix it, and that is not good.
Report Post »Founding Father2
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:17pmMEDIA BLACKOUT…
Breaking News: Rand Paul just announced this on Sean Hannity’s Show. Democrats have left the Tble of the Supercommittee… they are out unless Republicans bow to their plan: http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2011/nov/dems_walk_supercommittee.html
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:18pmOnce again a testament to Big government ingenuity and efficiency
Report Post »CatB
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:18pmI wouldn’t know .. I made certain to shut everything down before I left home .. the dog did not say if the emergency alert radio went off– that was the only thing that would have been on. I know that Comcast in my area has been doing tests at night between 2 and 3 am .. only using the high pitched beeping tones .. no message for the past few weeks.
Report Post »RichNGadsden
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:20pmI had the radio, TV, and internet on and nothing happened here. Of course I am in Alabama and our stuff is probably so outdated that it would not work with this new fangled stuff. LOL
Report Post »SHOESHINEBOY
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:20pmfail..epic fail..sounded like trying to listen to AM radio, late at night…while driving with the windows down, on a back woods country dirt road….well..not exactly…the AM radio would be easier to understand…
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:27pmI got a screen with a message, as well as a crawler across the top (Verizon Fios). I had the radio on (TV muted) and there was silence on the radio for about 3 minutes. I heard a bleed over of a Mexican radio station, have no idea what they were saying because I don’t speak Spanish. It’s the same station that interfers with Rush all the time. I’m near Dallas.
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:31pmHeard it on time via local Socal Station but very scratchy sounding and with distortional sounds. Fail! I’ll just have to rely on my senses in case of an epic emergency.
Report Post »the hawk
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:41pmNo test here in the Fox valley Wi. But I had to clim up a latter and sweep the snow off my Dish, so had no tv for about 45 min………………………………
Report Post »CultureWarriors
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:44pmBah .. ha ha ha ha ha … This Administration is a bunch of incompetent boobs. The thought of Janet N. being in charge of HLS should make every American afraid. Just listen to her speak, she has no experience, no intellect. She’s just a pathetic butt kissing idiot.
Report Post »@leftfighter
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:48pmThis is good news and bad news.
On one hand, if there is an actual emergency, this may be a problem. On the other, a certain petty little dictator knows he can‘t seize control at a moment’s notice.
…yet…
Report Post »YoungBloodNews
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:50pmI like how they blame the providers, typical administration move. Im surprised they didn’t blame bush
Report Post »vtxphantom
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 6:16pmGood to know government and obama are failures, again. I think I saw Elvis on the screen!
Report Post »WeDontNeedNoSteenkinBadges03
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 6:17pmThe Soros & Obama commies got cold feet to implement their NATIONAL TAKEOVER … from the reaction to “the test”. (Remember, it’s all their “puppet show”.) Next time (and there WILL be a next time), they’ll have the holes plugged and a back-to-sleep America.
What caused them to chicken-out? Maybe this exposé of their “secret code” had something to do with it:
“Homeland Security BROADCAST SHUTDOWN PSA – DHS CONTROL VOICE Takes USA To OUTER LIMITS Tyranny Spoof”
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_dVuUgeDJU
ruffnex
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 6:22pmMy screen went blank……
Report Post »Restored One
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 6:31pmI had the radio on and the message was terrible. I had it on FOX news on my Dish and watched Megyn Kelly mocking the message assuming that it was working. It was pretty funny. So now how many times are they going to be practicing this EAS message. They will say that they need the 3 1/2 minutes.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 6:48pmThe govt. Is preparing for an imminent collapse of the system, they know it will happen almost overnite , and much the same way the soviet union collapsed, and for the same exact reason, socialism……. It will collapse and it will be soon.
Report Post »chris3
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:41pmtrust me, they don’t mind a “fail”it just means they need to “dig a little deeper”into our rights and fix this “problem”
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 8:15pmi have dish tv and nothing didn’t even do anything at all. apparently backwoods hillbillies are expempt
Report Post »Strykewolf
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:54pmComplete failur out this way. Typical .gov operational results.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:02pmThs is why you have tests, so tha tin the event of an emergency, the bugs are worked out of the system. Its time to take the tin foil hats off.
Report Post »Strykewolf
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:45pmYes and no. Regional has always worked fine regardless of where I’ve lived. It would make more sense to send the data to the regional ‘commands’ and have them issue the follow-ons. Attempting to do this from the highest levels of government is foolish and wasteful.
Report Post »your sensei
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 6:06pmEncimon . . . Hold on there, partner, that’s way to obvious. Once a conservitard gets aholt of a bone they’re gonna chew on it till the choke . . . just like they did in Ohio and Mississippi yesterday. Let ‘em rave. It’s the only fun they have. That and quilting.
Report Post »Smoovious
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 8:03pmThe regionals don’t change your channel however. All of those I have seen have been just the text display with the alert tones, with a couple exceptions of an additional voice-over when the tornado sirens went off. (btw… shouldn’t a proper national test, also activate the sirens? if it was that big of an emergency? I mean… if we’re gonna test, then lets TEST.)
Right after Kelly’s mock of it, I got the text message and alert tones… about 30 seconds later, the channel got switched to Rachael Ray… still muted… if she had anything important to share with us, I have no idea as there wasn’t any audio… then about 60 seconds later, it switched back to Kelly.
Still muted… 30 minutes later, still muted, nothing I could do to get audio back or get the volume indicator to even come up.
Had to reboot the box.
Test fail, imho…
But… yeah, that’s what these bugs are supposed to work out. Wonder if they have a bug-tracker for us to post our results on…
All in all, I think a national alert system is a good thing. When working properly, and sparingly.
– Smoov
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:54pmSpeaking of failure, did you see the picture the Blaze.com put of Dr. Ron Paul down the page from this thread? Didnt Glenn start this thing to be truthful and honest? Is Glenn starting to use his own media bias to guide the people, the same thing he warned us about on his show?
Report Post »brntout
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:53pmI got big sis on mine. Didn’t realize I could pick up Arizona here in Ohio. Now that’ll haunt me for a while.
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:08pmI nearly pooped myself when a picture of “Big Brother” popped up on the TV. Man that was some scarry stuff.
Report Post »Exiled
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 12:46amTime for the 2-minute Hate, already?
Report Post »JamesonLewis3rd
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:52pmAh. The “blame others” gambit.
Report Post »Why am I not surprised.
Angel
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:52pmI didn’t hear a thing in Georgia, my radio went on as normal….nothing happen
Report Post »ZAP
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:51pmI`m sure they deemed it a success and are in title to bonuses
Report Post »TheFonz
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:51pmI heard it on time on the radio here in New Orleans. We could hear the man talking, but there was a lot of static and constant replays of the “tone” in the background. I even turned to some other stations and found a couple where the test was not going through. Oh, well. I guess there is still time to work out the bugs before Obama decides to declare martial law and delay the elections because of “civil unrest” i.e. the Occupy mobs going apeshit on cue.
Report Post »phillipwgirard
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:51pmNAH! The test was a success, the aliens have landed LOL
Report Post »This_Individual
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:50pmDaggumit! I missed it!
Report Post »modilly
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:50pmHow long to take for an alert to a bomb or missile attack? Just as soon as they pass a budget.
Report Post »lapua338shooter
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:57pmIn my area the AM radio went off after 5 seconds of that irratating warning buzz. When I looked at the local news on TV, the news girl was sitting there saying “we’re waiting…. here it comes now…. we’re waiting”… then she had a look on her face like she was trying real hard not to laugh. After 25 to 30 seconds, she said “well, that’s about 30 seconds i guess. OK… We’re back on the air now. Test must be over”.
Report Post »AM radio – OK
TV – Try again, guys. You’ll get it, eventually.
Your tax dollars at work for you!
capecodsully
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:49pmEverything Obama touches turns to ****.
Report Post »doglady
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:53pmObama wants to control what we can see and hear.
Report Post »SimpleTruths
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:03pm@DOGLADY
Report Post »You mean Glenn Beck don’t you?
Tired_of_The_Liberal_Spin
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:26pm@SIMPLETRUTHS Yeah! that must be what was meant – After all, everyone is FORCED to purchase a GBTV subscription so Beck can forcefully impose his views upon the American public. Sure!! LMAO
Report Post »TOMSERVO
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 6:02pmRight! Just like everyone is FORCED to watch TV and listen to the radio, so obviously this terrorist communist leftist stalinist extremist socialist elitist gubbmint is taking over your lives with this emergency broadcast test.
Report Post »PoliticalSmackdown {Subscribe & Friend me on YouTube}
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:47pmyou can bet this will be used to misinform the American people or worse used to conceal government misdeeds …
Report Post »Tex Expatriate
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:45pmIt was a failure where I was. All you could hear was static. And these incompetent fools want to run the nation.
Report Post »1casawizard
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:50pmI wonder how much this “test” cost U.S.
Report Post »capecodsully
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:52pmWith Chinese components no doubt, why worry about the military.
Report Post »Mike N
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:56pm@ 1CASAWIZARD . . . Don’t you know that everything the government gives us is free?
Report Post »brntout
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:57pm@ 1CASAWIZARD< your child's and his playmates and their grandchildren's future,unless we are willing to take a stand and release the inner beast.
Report Post »11:11
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:44pmat first i thought it was going to be 20 minutes late, kinda like when obummer is having a press conference and we all have to wait for your majesty to finally arrive….
Report Post »TexasHunter
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:22pmYou actually watch him? ? Nothing but lies spew out of his mouth. The dictator at his best.
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:44pmHey ‘big sis’….you can come on my morning radio show and do the test live. We’d love to have ya. LOL!!!
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:56pm@tron, all you would get is a room full of hot air and a stench left there for months,with all the crap she and this government has produced.
Report Post »Mimi24
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:11pmBut she does have a face for radio.
Report Post »Falindraun
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 6:22pmshe has a face for radio, a voice for silent tv, and a message for my shredder.
Report Post »Grandmadar
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:17pmtoo funny everyone!
Report Post »brntout
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:43pmLike all other government programs under current resident,a complete failure.What a joke.
Report Post »Annie Fields
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:43pmYou mean the Bolshevik Button failed? Bummer!
saltusa dot com
Report Post »BOMUSTGO
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:41pmOh No!! How are they going to declare Martial Law?????
Report Post »KAdams
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:52pmDidn’t they already declare martial law? Like, back in 1944 or something, and have never rescinded it?
Report Post »John 1776
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:40pmWouldn’t it be simpler to just “Ask” carriers to carry something rather then design a system that captures control. All you need is a Kim Kardasian wardrobe malfunction, and I bet every network across the land would have it up in 30 seconds!
Because…… They wanted to!
Dear FCC, Asking always works better then demanding.
Report Post »jens63
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:58pmThis is so true! Thumbs up john 1776….
Report Post »EgoBrain
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:40pmNothing happened at all, at my house.
Report Post »EgoBrain
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:49pmIn GA.
Report Post »copatriots
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:40pmAh…..so now we know the real purpose. This “test” was intended to show it was a failure so the government can seize greater control of the media, you know, for our “protection” of course. They are so considerate to always have our best interests at heart. In this day and age, if there is a real emergency, we have countless outlets to be immediately notified. Dang, I hate the every single day intrusion into yet another area of our lives.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:59pmBut it’s good for you! The government knows better than you, mere mortal! Just ask Moochelle Obumbler – she’ll be more than happy to remind you (and everybody else) of that fact. :)
BTW, Baby Boy is doing great. He’s getting big and squirming around like a restless monkey. I just hope he doesn’t decide to come early. Yikes!!
Report Post »copatriots
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:07pmHey Girl! I was wondering how you were doing. Thanks for the update on Baby Boy! How much longer until he makes his grand entrance?
Just returned from a cruise to Cozumel. It was awesome to get any from phones, the internet and all other modes potentially needing the Emergency Alert System. :-)
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 5:20pmWe have about 2 1/2 months to go or so, depending on if decides he can wait or not. :)
Cozumel…. Nice! I miss my tan….
We would LOVE to take a trip right now, but…. A certain little someone, not to mention our other kids, has us tied down to the homestead for the time being. Hope you had a great time! I’m off to walk the dogs and cook dinner. I’ll check back in later.
Report Post »copatriots
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 6:32pmBaby Boy will be a great way to kick off 2012 for you!
I’m sure you could use a vacation but heck your state is a vacation! : )
Report Post »Maximus_Delta
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:38pmGoofy government at its best….
Report Post »war7412
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:37pmThat was a TEST??????? It was over in a blink of an eye……..What was it 3….4……….5 seconds maybe????
Report Post »LOJ
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:36pmI don’t trust anything they do. You gotta wonder if there is a bomb or Missile attack how far in advance we will be warned….I hope everyone has supplies, water, an emergency radio, food, and ammo.
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:38pmStraight up Egypt-style government takeover and power grab.
P O L I C E S T A T E
Ron Paul 2012.
Resist the Police State. Abolish the TSA.
Report Post »Constitutionalist
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:47pmin the inverse order..
Report Post »brntout
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:49pmOnly thing they got right as far as the news breaks on a.m. radio was the alert tone. ‘Lot of ’splaining to do ” what with all the combined glitches.
Report Post »moreteaplease
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 4:56pmThat might answer WAR7412′s question as to why it was such a short test….
“This a public ser”…BOOM!!!!!
Report Post »ImWatchingYouAll
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:40pmShutdown worked fins on FOX. Test Worked Osama?
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