Ok so that annoying beep starts and then I get a blue TV screen telling me to change to channel 12 for more info. I change to channal 12 and nothing there about the "emergency."

What type of emergency broadcasting system is Fairfax running? Does the system work for any other FFX residents?

This system is a complete mess!

I concur.

Lurker Wrote:
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> This system is a complete mess!

no the system is not a mess, you are just retarded. the EBS has been replaced with the continued donations keep Wikipedia running!
Emergency Alert System which in effect is the same thing. the EAS is tested weekly very late at night (well... technically early morning). how it works is that it interrupts the audio from and plays a bizarro noise that is close to between static and screeching. the screeching was specifically designed to have no rhythm (however the two audio segments of it are repeated three times each) and cover a wide range of frequencies so that even if you are hard of hearing in a specific range of sound, it will get your attention. to accompany the sound, there is a marquee of text superimposed on top of the video of show. i imagine that if they really used it, it would completely replace the video feed as well as have audio instructions. the EAS is not a post 9/11 system either, it's been around sense 1994. our area has had it for some time, but until 9/11 it not implemented everywhere in the nation (including NYC) even though it should have been. the EAS expanded from the EBS in that it is now on radio and will soon be required to be implemented on every broadcast media system (no, the internet is not a broadcast media system). you dont see it showing up on channel 12 because let's see... THERE IS NO EMERGENCY! dont call it a mess just because you dont understand it.


information on this topic can also be found on wikipedia.
the deprecated Emergency Broadcast System
and newer Emergency Alert System

finally, the annoying sound of warning. this is in OGG format and if you cant play it, too bad.

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mariokart,
   it would seem you blindly agree with people because you are the typical american sheep.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Gravis, perhaps I should give you an example. During a recent TORNADO ALERT the alert text said tune to channel 12 for more information. There was nothing on channel 12!

Ok so tornado's going through the county aren't a "real emergency" or at least in your terms, but don't you think the system should work like it is suppose to...?
Just in case there is some terrorist biological attack or hazardous chemical spill in the county.

Seeing as how there is no such thing as a tornado alert, I should hope it is not working to transmit false "alerts".

TORNADO ALERT = "TORNADO WARNING" OR "TORNADO WATCH" Now you know.

Now I know what a toranado watch/warning is. There is a difference. You don't seem to know it. So stop acting like you know what you are talking about.

Here's an alarm story. I worked in the Pentagon for many years.

Around the late 90's, they installed a voice warning system. Took forever to install and they tested the thing CONSTANTLY. It was loud and annoying.

9/11/01....Hijacked plane slams into the building. This fancy system made not a freaking peep! Not a sound. LOL

Good enough for government work, eh?

duh Wrote:
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> Here's an alarm story. I worked in the Pentagon
> for many years.
>
> Around the late 90's, they installed a voice
> warning system. Took forever to install and they
> tested the thing CONSTANTLY. It was loud and
> annoying.
>
> 9/11/01....Hijacked plane slams into the building.
> This fancy system made not a freaking peep! Not
> a sound. LOL
>
> Good enough for government work, eh?
Attachments:

Remember that fords need to be Fixed Or Repaired Daily, they are always Found On Roads Dead, and Fords Only Run Downhill.

Where in the county do you live? Are you on Cox or Comcast (Reston)?
I work at channel 12 (Cox) in Falls Church (We share the channel with Fairfax City - in some parts of the county you get Fairfax City's channel, in other parts you get us) and I've never heard of anything like this. If we're supposed to put information up, they never told us!

Lurker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ok so that annoying beep starts and then I get a
> blue TV screen telling me to change to channel 12
> for more info. I change to channal 12 and nothing
> there about the "emergency."
>
> What type of emergency broadcasting system is
> Fairfax running? Does the system work for any
> other FFX residents?
>
> This system is a complete mess!

I am on Comcast in FFX county. You are correct, I believe the problem is related to the inter-broadcasting of the alerts over different cable networks.

I think the main FFX county alert says channel 12, but that channel differs on different providers. So when they FFX says channel 12 it may really be channel X in city X.

I sent Comcast an email about it and they fixed it for about three months. Now it appears that the system is f'd up again. I thought maybe the issue was just on my cable network, but it appears to be county wide from the feedback.

My main concern is that when the county issues a "bio hazzard" or tornado warning(alert) that some residents are not going be able to find the information. God forbid they have digital cable and have to scan though 800 channels to find the information.

dude, if a biohazard or tornado doesn't warrant major coverage on all the local network stations, then I don't know what does. Why does it really matter if it's on local 12?

Agreed, I don't know why they say "tune to X for more information." I guess that's so if your porn on pay per view you get the alert.

Hell, if there is somthing bad enough that requires an alert, they should just say it when the siren thing goes off.

Well, on the latest info from the NWS, the severe t-storm waring we have right now requested EAS activation. so maybe you can see it in action now.

I noticed the alert on TV tonight on FOX 5 it said stay turned to FOX 5 for more details. The counties system never came over the channel for the tornado alert. I guess they stopped broadcasting.

Stop being so alarming

In case of a tornado, put hotdogs and cheese in your pockets so the search dogs will find you first.