EAS EAS History and Legislation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What system did the Emergency Alert System (EAS) replace when it was established in 1997?
- Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) (Correct answer)
- CONELRAD (Control of Electromagnetic Radiation)
- National Warning System (NAWAS)
- Broadcast Emergency Network (BEN)
Correct answer: Emergency Broadcast System (EBS)
EAS replaced the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) in 1997, introducing digital SAME encoding and a more modern, automated relay infrastructure.
Question 2: In what year did the FCC officially implement the Emergency Alert System?
- 1997 (Correct answer)
- 1963
- 1988
- 2002
Correct answer: 1997
The FCC implemented EAS in 1997, phasing it in nationwide over several years as stations upgraded from the legacy EBS infrastructure.
Question 3: What Cold War-era system did the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) directly replace in 1963?
- CONELRAD (Control of Electromagnetic Radiation) (Correct answer)
- NAWAS
- Civil Defense Radio Network
- National Alert Radio
Correct answer: CONELRAD (Control of Electromagnetic Radiation)
CONELRAD was the original Cold War emergency broadcast system that the FCC replaced directly with the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) in 1963.
Question 4: Which federal law gave FEMA authority to develop the national public alert and warning system?
- Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015 (Correct answer)
- Communications Act of 1934
- Homeland Security Act of 2002
- Emergency Alert Improvement Act of 1994
Correct answer: Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015
The IPAWS Modernization Act of 2015 codified FEMA's authority to operate and improve the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, including EAS and WEA.
Question 5: What historical event in the early 1990s accelerated the push to replace the EBS with a more capable system?
- Hurricane Andrew in 1992 exposed EBS failures to timely warn the public (Correct answer)
- The 1990 Gulf War requiring rapid national mobilization
- The Oklahoma City bombing in 1995
- A major earthquake that exposed EBS relay chain failures
Correct answer: Hurricane Andrew in 1992 exposed EBS failures to timely warn the public
Hurricane Andrew's devastation in 1992, combined with failures to effectively warn the public, highlighted limitations of the EBS and accelerated development of the more capable EAS.
Question 6: What was the original purpose of CONELRAD, established in 1951?
- To prevent enemy aircraft from using broadcast signals for navigation during a nuclear attack (Correct answer)
- To coordinate civilian evacuation routes via radio
- To alert citizens of incoming weather disasters
- To provide a backup communication network for the President
Correct answer: To prevent enemy aircraft from using broadcast signals for navigation during a nuclear attack
CONELRAD was designed to allow emergency broadcasting while denying enemy aircraft the ability to home in on U.S. broadcast transmitters for navigation purposes.
EAS EAS History and Legislation 1
What system did the Emergency Alert System (EAS) replace when it was established in 1997?