Emergency Alert System/Broadcast System

[MushyMushy]

You know the EAS/EBS that comes on once in a while for a weekly test and has this shrieky alarm, but it lets you know that it's just a test?

Anyway, my area has been doing that testing for a while now -- used to be monthly and now is weekly -- but lately they've been actually USING the EAS for storm warnings. I've never in my life actually seen the alert system being used in earnest, but over the past few weeks they've been using it to warn about thunderstorms. THUNDERSTORMS! I don't get it -- isn't that supposed to be used for really big emergencies like tornadoes, hurricanes, or other disasters?

Is your area doing this? (I'm in the Pittsburgh area and 9 times out of 10, a storm will hit my area and then an hour or so later we'll start getting the EAS warnings for Pittsburgh We're so special.) The first time it happened, my DD got scared to death and was in tears because she thought something awful was happening.

Is it just me, or is this sort of like crying wolf? People are going to start ignoring these warnings and then what will happen when there's a REAL emergency?

 

[mickeyboat]

We get them here for severe thunderstorms - when it is going to be windy or hail. I actually don't have a problem with them, and I don't even think the kids notice. Last time I saw one on TV, I had to ask the kid to stop talking to me so I could read the warning.

Come to think of it, I can't remember hearing one on the radio, though.

Denae

 

[Chicago526]

They've been using here in my area (Chicago Metro) for a few years. Usually it has to be a severe thunderstorms with hail and/or damaging winds and/or flash flood potential for them to bother. For just a normal thunderstom (even if it's severe) they usually won't interupt programing, they figure the thunder and lightning is enough to tip you off!