The FCC will review emergency alert systems in the US

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is planning to review the US emergency alert systems, including the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WAS). The review aims to ensure that these systems deliver the results that Americans need. The announcement notes that the infrastructure underlying the EAS, which includes radio, television, satellite, and cable systems, is 31 years old, while the framework underpinning the WAS mobile device alerts is 13 years old. The FCC review will also assess which entities should be able to send alerts on these systems, as well as topics such as geographic targeting and security. The need for this review comes after the catastrophic flooding in central Texas earlier this summer, which led to more than 130 deaths. Questions arose about whether residents in potentially dangerous areas received enough warning to evacuate, and if recent federal cuts to the National Weather Service's staff and budget could have contributed to the high death toll.