FEMA sets “basic” and “technical” webinars for broadcasters in advance of Feb. 24 IPAWS/EAS test

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has scheduled four webinars to assist broadcasters in Texas preparing for the upcoming February regional IPAW/ EAS test.

As TAB noted in last week’s TABulletin, Texas is one of 22 states slated for FEMA’s next regional IPAWS/EAS test, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 1:20 PM CT.

The test message will use the National Periodic Test (NPT) event code with an audio message that sounds very much like a typical Required Monthly Test text.   This test does NOT take the place of that week’s Required Weekly Test (RWT). 

Participation in the test is completely voluntary and FEMA assures the test will be conducted in a no-risk environment.  The test is meant to see if systems are working at the station level, and if not, to uncover issues for station staff to correct.  

Previous tests in other states, for example, have revealed that many television operations face significant challenges when it comes to audio insertion, program muting or ducking, as well as scroll generation and placement on main and digital sub-channels.

Questions? Contact TAB's Michael Schneider or call (512) 322-9944.