PITTSBURGH, November 10, 2011 – ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement regarding the national Emergency Alert System (EAS) test on Nov. 9 conducted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“The decision to conduct the first national test of the Emergency Alert System on Nov. 9 was a wise one because government must have confidence that it can reach the public with life-saving information in a crisis. As many have pointed out, the EAS test produced mixed results. In many communities, the test went smoothly; in others, there were difficulties. Working with the FCC and FEMA, industry participants that encountered problems will surely strive to correct the situation as soon as possible.
“ACA is in the process of collecting data from its members and will share the results with the FCC and FEMA in due course in order to ensure that the EAS is a predictable and dependable public safety asset that will help protect property and save lives.”
“Lastly, I would like to thank all the dedicated staff members at the FCC and FEMA who put in countless hours to prepare for the national EAS test. It was a huge effort carried out by a public-private partnership that truly performed a great service for the American people.”
About the American Cable Association
Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 900 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for more than 7.6 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit https://acaconnects.org/