EAS on Maine Public Radio

[rjoc@webtv.net (Roderick O'Connor)]

I also heard the EAS go off on MPR during All Things Considered. I
believe the reason Maine Public Radio carried these warnings was because
they were triggered by the National Weather Service  offices in BOTH
Caribou and Gray/Portland.  MPR probably figured they were just
"Covering their butt", especially since they are serving  the whole
state.  I went to both NWS  websites for Caribou and Gray, and they both
had the exact same texts for each warning and advisory.
I must admit I did a double-take when  I heard the NWS Caribou office
issue the flood warning for the "Say-coe" (as they pronounced it) River.
clear down at the other end of the state.

I also have a NOAA VHF weather-alert radio set to the Ellsworth
transmitter on 162.40, and it was triggered at least 6 times today,
ranging from High Wind Advisories to Coastal Flood Watches to Flash
Flood Warnings.  It appears that only  WARNINGS were of "EAS" stature
for state-wide broadcast.  Advisories did not get the EAS treatment, but
did trigger the NOAA Weather-alert radio alarm.
Incidentally, each time the EAS came across MPR I checked  the Bangor TV
stations..None 
of them had anything on screen.

Personally, I'm a weather watcher/enthusiast. Most radio listeners
aren't. Where do you draw the line? ((As a former program director/board
operator, I say in any life-threatening situation))

I think MPR acted responsibly...And I think they still are burnt from
the Ice-Storm of 98,  when, as I understand it, they really blew it..(I
was back in Alaska at the time, so did not experience the storm
first-hand here in Maine)

But this just goes to show what a can of worms EAS is.

Rod O'Connor
Southwest Harbor,  Maine
.....