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Former FCC Public Safety/Homeland Security Chief Jamie Barnett on the use of the nation’s public warning system.
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A nationwide test set to begin any moment.
Who that's exciting a nationwide tests.
Remember you cannot avoid it.
By flipping the channel it's everywhere.
If it's everywhere it must be something from our federal government and -- adopt it is it's the emergency alert system.
It started in 1951 with Connell ran -- warning system to alert -- of the Russians attacked they didn't fortunately.
And then under President Bush senior we got I -- the integrated public alert and warning system.
We were told the president could now reach the American public in just ten minutes.
Then taxpayers -- -- again another hundred million dollars for cnet's.
Commercial mobile alert system so government can reach -- -- your cell phone.
And people like this they say thank goodness government does that.
Dublin -- and spread the word when something is happening coming out there are gonna find out what's going down.
Well I'll -- -- but the general attitude is yeah -- we're safer thanks to the emergency alert system.
Except.
You ever enter into war -- about anything by the government that is.
He often get warnings from -- from radio stations in word of mouth and Twitter and so forth.
About storms or other threats but the emergency alert system.
Now never even on September 11 when we were attacked the system was not at activate.
Although it existed for sixty plus years it wasn't even tested until Jamie Barnett said gee I think we -- a test this thing.
-- of the time you were the FCC's.
Public safety and homeland secure.
-- bureau chief.
You found out -- never even been tested.
John I was amazed to find out that do we had this system that was part of our national preparedness in never been tested in coming from the navy is -- did.
We know that you don't expect which you don't inspect -- wrote a memo.
Chairman genachowski sent it over to the White House.
And that resulted in the test on -- -- that 2011.
And we have heard over time these tests coming through from our local TV stations that that just may be the local station just.
Testing it.
-- -- -- That's tried and that actually was where the felt he was because I assumed.
When I came into the FCC if that meant the whole system was being tested but the tests didn't happen and successful.
I do think it was successful we knew that after sixty years we would be able to come up with some things that didn't connect the way they should that's what we're actually we're looking for.
About 90% of primary entry point stations were able to receive the signal.
And re transmitted which is what was supposed to happen.
How can you call if successful -- only got 90% of the main stations.
We'll because it was infected -- where the problems were and to have 90% was not the success we were looking for a hundred that we were looking for.
What are the problems you call that successful but this must be some government definition of success because in the private sector I think that's what we call -- failure.
Your nation -- did happen in 2011.
The federal government will be conducting a national test of the emergency alert system but it didn't go nationwide.
-- disaster warning systems first to be carried on radio and television 2 PM eastern if you snags to say the least but Fox News viewers heard nothing.
And some people heard this murky announcement.
Direct TV cable viewers reported hearing Lady Gaga song paparazzi played during a test.
So how is that a success if you hearing Lady Gaga music.
New wife is school teacher in 90% on -- test -- -- -- -- in her class but I'll say this.
We knew that there -- enough for our government work it's good they're good we knew that there would be problems and that's actually -- to identify and think god love the people who put Lady Gaga on.
That was actually another rule decision not supposed to have dead air time -- because of -- feedback problem on on on one of the satellite networks where he actually punched him we gotta put some music on their lady -- the Lady Gaga was the benefactor of that.
So why do we need this thing I don't need to know that the president is in charge I need to know what to do and I got.
A million local media that we'll tell me you -- you can't do it instantly all over the country the way that you can with emerging alerting system.
So learning system is not supposed to be follow on information so much that's something -- think is a legitimate local news and national news type of function.
But look at the earthquake could that we had in in a couple years ago in the mid Atlantic region rocketed up and down that the East Coast.
That was not much damage.
What if it had been.
What if it wiped out new York and watching the same time this is a system is designed to work even when nothing else does.
So a lot of your stations would have been knocked off the -- except for these.
Which have been hard how would I have been learn about you learn about it from your radio and TV station -- -- off the air would learn about and if they're on there.
I'm learning about it now.
Now is we're in the news business actually I have a a rate of battery operated radio people have their cars that's one of the things about it so this.
But I learned -- battery operated radio and anchorman says this happen.
We're giving you the news is so as we get it.
And this is a boondoggle hundreds of millions of dollars to government must do that -- once it's spent you guys never stop this is a great public private partnership.
Make sure that our public remains safe during hurricane sandy here in this area.
Twelve hours after the -- began people in my house got its emergency alert and -- simple phone it looked like this and it said.
Take shelter now.
But this was twelve hours into the store this is the stupidity of government and I realize -- left government now so I'm not personally directing the CEO but you've spent much of your life in government in this is it's foolish government.
Thinking spend the money.
For second rate stuff so.
Here here's the here's a thing you just mentioned what is a local.
Alert.
Not the national alert system it is the -- system and one of the things -- we have to include in this is training both for emerging workers.
And for the people who initiate these warnings.
So you're right.
Twelve hours is not acceptable.
That that was a failure of some someone.
But I want -- you still wanna be able have them that learning system.
I appreciated the fact that I got more before the -- -- that's -- take cover.
-- -- training that'll mean more money.
Think you Jamie Barnett.
Coming.
