Emergency Alert System
The Washington State Association of Broadcasters works with the Society of Broadcast Engineers and the Washington Emergency Management Division (among other stakeholders) to facilitate the statewide Emergency Alert System, also known as the Washington Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (WA PAWS). WSAB participates in the State Emergency Communications Committee (SECC), comprised of a dedicated group of professionals from broadcasting, government emergency management, military, law enforcement and other safety fields.
Links for required monthly tests, the Washington State EAS Plan, the FCC’s EAS information page and a generic operation log are found below.
Washington State Emergency Alert System Links
2024 Washington RMT (Required Monthly Test) Schedule - PDF Version
2024 Oregon RMT Schedule (Columbia Gorge follows Oregon state RMT test Schedule)
Washington State EAS Plan (Approved by FCC in 2023)
Changes to the EAS State Plan or its tabs will first be published on the Washington EAS List Server/Remailer. To subscribe to the Washington EAS List Server/Remailer click here
2023 FCC EAS AM/FM/TV Handbook (this is the most current handbook available from the FCC)
Requirements for Posting FCC EAS Handbook and Washington State EAS Plan:
Section 11.15 of the FCC rules expressly states that “a copy of the FCC EAS Handbook must be located at normal duty positions or EAS equipment locations when an operator is required to be on duty and be immediately available to staff responsible for authenticating messages and initiating actions.”
No similar FCC rule exists for State EAS Plans, either in terms of a hard copy or access to a website. The FCC afforded confidentiality protection to State EAS plans in 2018 given that “some of the information in State EAS Plans, such as the call signs and locations of key EAS sources, is sensitive.”
Even though the State EAS Plan is not required to be posted at station control points, the WSAB encourages that it be available for reference by operators on duty in conjunction with the FCC EAS Handbook. It is the option of the station to have a printed copy or instructions to access the State EAS Plan website (which can be accessed at www.wsab.org/eas or https://mil.wa.gov/wa-paws) available at control points.