§ 11.52   EAS code and Attention Signal Monitoring requirements.

   (a) EAS Participants must be capable of receiving the Attention Signal
   required by § 11.31(a)(2) and emergency messages of other broadcast stations
   during their hours of operation. EAS Participants must install and operate
   during their hours of operation, equipment that is capable of receiving and
   decoding, either automatically or manually, the EAS header codes, emergency
   messages and EOM code, and which complies with the requirements in § 11.56.

   Note to paragraph (a): The two-tone Attention Signal will not be used to
   actuate two-tone decoders but will be used as an aural alert signal.

   (b) If manual interrupt is used as authorized in § 11.51(m)(2), decoders must
   be located so that operators at their normal duty stations can be alerted
   immediately when EAS messages are received.

   (c) EAS Participants that are co-owned and co-located with a combined studio
   or control facility (such as an AM and FM licensed to the same entity and at
   the same location or a cable headend serving more than one system) may
   comply with the EAS monitoring requirements contained in this section for
   the combined station or system with one EAS Decoder. The requirements of
   § 11.33 must be met by the combined facility.

   (d) EAS Participants must comply with the following monitoring requirements:

   (1)  With respect to monitoring for EAS messages that are formatted in
   accordance with the EAS Protocol, EAS Participants must monitor two EAS
   sources. The monitoring assignments of each broadcast station and cable
   system and wireless cable system are specified in the State EAS Plan and FCC
   Mapbook. They are developed in accordance with FCC monitoring priorities.

   (2) With respect to monitoring EAS messages formatted in accordance with the
   specifications set forth in § 11.56(a)(2), EAS Participants' EAS equipment
   must interface with the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Integrated
   Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) to enable (whether through “pull”
   interface technologies, such as Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and Atom
   Syndication Format (ATOM), or “push” interface technologies, such as instant
   messaging  and  email)  the  distribution  of  Common  Alert  Protocol
   (CAP)-formatted alert messages from the IPAWS system to EAS Participants'
   EAS equipment.

   (3)  Monitoring  specifications  associated  with  the distribution of
   CAP-formatted alert messages by state alert message systems are described in
   the State EAS Plan, as set forth in § 11.21(a).

   (4)  If the required EAS message sources cannot be received, alternate
   arrangements or a waiver may be obtained by written request to the Chief,
   Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. In an emergency, a waiver may be
   issued over the telephone with a follow up letter to confirm temporary or
   permanent reassignment.

   (5) The management of EAS Participants shall determine which header codes
   will automatically interrupt their programming for State and Local Area
   emergency situations affecting their audiences.

   (e) EAS Participants are required to interrupt normal programming either
   automatically or manually when they receive an EAS message in which the
   header code contains the Event codes for Emergency Action Notification
   (EAN), the National Periodic Test (NPT), or the Required Monthly Test (RMT)
   for their State or State/county location.

   (1) Automatic interrupt of programming is required when facilities are
   unattended. Automatic operation must provide a permanent record of the EAS
   message that contains at a minimum the following information: Originator,
   Event, Location and valid time period of the message.

   (2) Manual interrupt of programming and transmission of EAS messages may be
   used. EAS messages with the EAN Event code, or the NPT Event code in the
   case of a nationwide test of the EAS, must be transmitted immediately;
   Monthly EAS test messages must be transmitted within 60 minutes. All actions
   must be logged and recorded as specified in § § 11.35(a) and 11.54(a)(3).
   Decoders must be programmed for the EAN Event header code and the RMT and
   RWT Event header codes (for required monthly and weekly tests), with the
   appropriate accompanying State and State/county location codes.

   [ 70 FR 71036 , Nov. 25, 2005, as amended at  77 FR 16705 , Mar. 22, 2012;  80 FR 37176 , June 30, 2015]

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