Saving Lives with Wireless Emergency Alerts

Established a redundant path for the Wireless Emergency Alert system using the Public Television Interconnection System. PTV stations broadcast WEA over-the-air; ensuring the messages are receivable, if Internet connections to FEMA fail.

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency issued WEA Shelter-in-Place order

Five adults and 29 children in Sports World soccer dome - saved by WEA

Everybody's cellphones started buzzing at the same time. I did not have mine on me, but other people immediately said there's a tornado warning for us.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usdol/10967833285/sizes/l/

System to be placed in service 5/6/14

Design and Implementation

• System placed in service 5/6/14

• All station hardware accepted, tested and installed

• Single VIP in place with FEMA

• Full mesh testing in progress

Local EOC

State EOC

Alert Aggregatio

n Alert

Gateway

A B

C C1

Federal Agencies CMSP Gateway

PBS WARN Gateway

Mobile Device

Government CMSP

CMSP Infrastructure

90 Characters 4-5 Kbyte including wrapper

All messages pass through

all station transmitters

Entire anticipated daily payload infrastructure in

60 seconds

10 Minute Message Delivery

Carousel of messages through to OTA Receiver

100-Kbps PBS Satellite payload

150 Message daily max

Geographically Redundant

90 Characters 4-5 Kbyte including wrapper

150 Message daily max

.026% of OTA ATSC

Nebraska

Virginia

AMC-21 • PBS’ geographical coverage can send every WEA message to any CMSP gateway

• CMSP gateways not located in same geographical location as subscribers or towers

• All messages go to all stations

Video IRD

Local Station Video

Processing

TS Mux PTV

Station

WARN Message Data (CMAC)

Existing Video Production System

8VSB Exciter

Data Injecto

r Program Switch

Data Injecto

r

WARN Sat

Receiver

WARN Sat

Receiver CMSP

OTA Rx

ATSC Antenna

C1 Interface to Gateway

WARN Message Data (CMAC)

Hardening the PTV WARN System

Phase 2 Award Authorized by NTIA

4/15/11 PBS

Releases Phase Two Guidelines

8/22/11

First

Applications Accepted

9/6/11 First Awards

Issued 3/12/12

First WARN Extension

Approved by NTIA 8/1/12

PBS Offers Sub-Grant Extensions

9/18/12

Budget Amendments

Solicited 10/9/12

Sub-Grant Application

Deadline 1/31/13

Sub-Grant Projects Complete 8/31/14

WARN Project Conclusion

10/31/14

Apr

il

Oct

ober

June

Janu

ary

Apr

il

Oct

ober

June

Janu

ary

Apr

il

Oct

ober

June

Janu

ary

2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 1 3

Apr

il

June

Oct

ober

Second WARN Extension

Approved by NTIA 10/18/13

2 0 1 4

Overview

Sub-Grants Awarded 82

Total Awarded $ 20,762,060

Distributed as of 2/28 $ update

Types of Licensees

State Networks 11/19

University Licensees 24/53

Community Stations 47/85

TOTAL:

Size of Sub-Grants Largest $ 2,019,382 KFME Smallest 2,000 WLVT

Mean 71,419 Median 183,278

Stations submit: – Narrative Report

– Financial Report

– Inventory Report

– Project/Equipment Photographs

Stations receive closeout letter

Common Alerting Protocol

7 2 0 , 0 0 0 C A P

9,000 EAS

1,000 WEA

2 NOAA Alerts

• Complements CMAC message - contains more complete information including 2nd language support

• International standard for emergency alerts

• Allows rich media and html link embedding

• FEMA asked PBS to distribute CAP-formatted messages to stations

• CMSPs request 98% WEA-qualified CAP messages from FEMA

• Grant extension to May 31, 2015