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FCC Consumer Advisory Committee

Further Recommendation Regarding the Provision of Emergency Messages to the Public

Adopted on November 4, 2011, and formally re-adopted on February 24, 2012, the Consumer
Advisory Committee (“CAC”) offered a recommendation incorporating several elements for
assessment of the results of the November 9, 2011, first “national test” of the Emergency Alert
System (“EAS”).
There the CAC recommended that, in addition to assessing the reliability and effectiveness of the
public alerting mechanisms of EAS, the FCC and the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(“FEMA”) specifically examine (1) the effectiveness of its outreach efforts to the public
(including outreach targeted to persons with hearing, vision, and dual sensory loss disabilities);
and (2) the accessibility of information available to consumers (including persons with hearing
disabilities) during the National EAS test. The CAC further recommended that FEMA, the
FCC, and other EAS partners specifically conduct targeted outreach to, and design future EAS
tests and information, to meet the needs of consumers with hearing, vision, and dual sensory loss
disabilities.
The CAC now offers its further recommendation for the FCC, FEMA and other government and
private entities as this country undertakes the expansion and improvement of electronic methods
for conveying emergency messages to the public by use of the Common Alerting Protocol,
Commercial Mobile Alert Systems and other mechanisms, and over a variety of traditional and
new communications platforms. The CAC urges these parties to give high priority to ensuring
that consumers with hearing, vision and dual sensory loss disabilities are able to receive and
understand such messages.
Unanimously adopted: June 15, 2012
Respectfully submitted:
Debra R. Berlyn, Chairperson
FCC Consumer Advisory Committee

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