Emergency Communications

Emergency Alert System

EAS is the primary means for providing the public with critical alert information about an emergency or disaster. This Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – mandated system totally replaced the old Emergency Broadcast System as of January 1, 1998. Under EAS rules, radio, TV, and cable TV stations must participate at the National level or specifically request a waiver from the FCC. Further, they are encouraged to voluntarily participate in state and local EAS plans.

Wireless Emergency Alert System

Wireless Emergency Alert System (WEA) is a public safety system that allows customers who own certain wireless phones and other compatible mobile devices to receive geographically-targeted, text-like messages alerting them of imminent threats to safety in their area. WEA enables government officials to target emergency alerts to specific geographic areas.

To learn more, visit the FCC’s Wireless Emergency Alerts page.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Radio

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service office. NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Learn more about NOAA Weather Radio.

AMBER Alerts™ are being automatically sent through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Any questions or concerns on the AMBER Alert message received on your phone should be directed to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), who manages the secondary distribution of AMBER Alerts.

Contact: NCMEC, 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)

IOEM can utilize HF and VHF/UHF radios to pass voice and data messages when other methods of communication break down. We train RACES and ARES volunteers to work with us in our radio room and in the EOC. IOEM volunteers also participate in weekly HF radio nets, including SHARES and FNARS. We operate the SHARES Idaho net on Wednesday mornings for SHARES stations in Idaho, including counties, tribes, critical infrastructure, NGOs/voluntary organizations, and federal partners.