Originally published August 6 2005
Emergency broadcasts aren't only on TV anymore
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The federal government is considering a plan that would allow text messaging to your cell phone in an event of an emergency.
Emergency alerts may soon be delivered by more than just your television set or old-fashioned radio: The federal government is considering alerting you via text message should a possible natural disaster or terrorist attack directly affect your area.
The Senate Subcommittee on Disaster Prevention and Prediction met this week on Capitol Hill to discuss creating a national, integrated all-hazards alert system that uses digital technology to efficiently send public warnings to Americans.
In case of a national emergency or natural disaster, the president already can communicate with the nation through the Emergency Alert System (EAS).
However, during the last five decades the system has been in place, a national alert has never been fully activated--not even during the September 11 terrorist attacks.
The current system, developed in the Cold War era, can transmit messages only to radios and televisions and is simply outdated, says Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), chair of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee.
"It was a good system in its time, but I don't know many people that carry radios around in their pockets anymore," Stevens says.
"We need legislation to tell us exactly what the integration policy will be," he said.
Noting that the threat of future terrorist attacks still looms, subcommittee chair Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) said government should play an important role in the creation of a national alert system.
Hoover said FEMA is planning to test a Geo-Targeted Alerting System that uses reverse 911 technologies to provide specific and targeted warnings to individual households and businesses, such as warning of an impending tornado.
Once the infrastructure is in place and integration methods are resolved, Hoover said, FEMA may offer a consumer opt-in system; people could log on to a designated Web site and sign up for the types of alert messages they want to receive.
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