New Module Supports FCC's Recent Order Requiring All EAS Systems to Comply With the Common Alerting Protocol
-- Web-based activation of EAS from any network-connected workstation within the Emergency Operations Center or from a remote location -- Authenticated and secure Web-based access to multiple operators. The system includes permission management that defines which specific system operators have EAS activation rights -- Preprogrammed selection of EAS scenarios and audio messages that can be distributed as-is or quickly tailored -- Integrated text-to-speech capability which converts text messages to broadcast audio -- Ability to target broadcasters by geographical regions -- Audit trail of all activations with details including operator, time stamp, scenario activated and more -- Delivery of EAS messages over the IP network, including the public Internet, to the EAS ENDEC (Encoder-Decoder) interface -- Delivery of alerts to broadcasters, online and via print media using additional, non-EAS channels including multi-media desktop alerting that can provide audio, video and more in-depth text information to complement short EAS messagesEAS integration is achieved through the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). IWSAlerts generates a CAP-compliant alert, and this message is then processed by CAP-compliant EAS devices that convert the CAP messages to signals that can feed into the EAS system via their standard interface -- the ENDEC. With this approach, EAS messages can be communicated over IP networks to any ENDEC -- whether located at the headquarters of the emergency management agency or directly to broadcasters over the public Internet. This achieves a high level of redundancy and more reliable broadcast delivery of each activated EAS message. The Emergency Alert System is a national system that was put into place in 1994 to replace the Emergency Broadcast System. It is jointly administered by the FCC, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Weather Service. State and local emergency management officials develop, implement and maintain the EAS infrastructure on a local level. The EAS allows radio (both public and subscription) and television (cable, wireless and digital) broadcast stations to send emergency information to the public quickly. About AtHoc AtHoc is a recognized leader in providing enterprise-class, network-centric emergency notification systems used for force and personnel protection, facility mass notification, public safety and critical enterprise communications. Millions of end users worldwide, in organizations such as the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, the Air University, Hawaii State Civil Defense, Boeing, PricewaterhouseCoopers and eBay rely on AtHoc's alert delivery and management systems for their critical communication and alerting needs. AtHoc has partnered with market leaders including Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, Siemens, Avaya, Unisys and others to bring these notification solutions to the public and commercial markets. For more information on AtHoc, please visit http://www.athoc.com.
Contact Information: Contact: Ivy Eckerman Spire Communications (540) 373-2963