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Emergency Broadcast System

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Emergency Broadcast System, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 25 July 20255 sources
Emergency Broadcast System
Company typeEmergency alert system
IndustryEmergency communication
PredecessorCONELRAD
FoundedAugust 5, 1963; 63 years ago (1963-08-05)
Defunct1997 (1997)
SuccessorEmergency Alert System
Area served
United States

The Emergency Broadcast System (EBS), originally called the Emergency Action Notification System (EANS), was an American emergency alert mechanism active from 1963 until 1997. It replaced the CONELRAD system and was eventually succeeded by the Emergency Alert System. Serving as a fundamental element in national emergency communication, the EBS operated alongside the Emergency Override system to ensure comprehensive coverage.

Purpose

The EBS was established to facilitate prompt communication from the president of the United States during times of war, imminent threats, or other national emergencies, providing a direct and efficient channel for public notifications. Inspired by Hawaii’s Civ-Alert system, it officially commenced on August 5, 1963, taking over from CONELRAD. Its functionality later broadened to encompass peacetime emergencies at state and local levels, thereby strengthening its significance within the emergency communications sector.

Although it was never activated for a nationwide crisis, between 1976 and 1996 the EBS was employed more than 20,000 times to broadcast civil emergency information and severe weather alerts. This frequent use underscored its vital role in safeguarding the public and highlighted its strategic importance in U.S. emergency management operations.

National level EBS

National-level activation of the Emergency Broadcast System was authorized by the president and transmitted through the White House Communications Agency duty officer to either the Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) or the Federal Preparedness Agency (FPA) as of 1978. Major telecommunications common carriers, along with radio and television network operators, plus news organizations such as the Associated Press and United Press International, received and verified an Emergency Action Notification (EAN) via a dedicated teletypewriter network. These groups then relayed the EAN to their affiliated stations and subscribers.

The protocols for warnings related to enemy attacks or nuclear threats evolved throughout the system’s lifespan. In 2024, prerecorded EBS messages from 1972 intended for national deployment were made available by the U.S. National Archives. One presidential activation message read:

"The United States Emergency Broadcast System has been activated by direction of the President of the United States because of a grave national emergency. The Emergency Broadcast System comprises all communications facilities designated and authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to operate during a period of national emergency."

This particular script referencing a "grave national emergency" was not broadly distributed to broadcast stations nor included in FCC publications.

Following issuance of an EAN by ADC or FPA, common carriers would interconnect independent networks such as ABC, CBS, and NBC into a consolidated national broadcast chain, allowing even independent stations access to presidential programming. Stations employed a dual-tone Attention Signal on their assigned frequencies to alert others in preparation for a presidential announcement. Unlike its predecessor CONELRAD, the EBS permitted simultaneous broadcasting across AM, FM, and television outlets without imposing restrictions on radio frequency usage.

Activation procedure

The initiation of activations was managed by a central hub known as the Common Program Control Station (CPCS-1), which transmitted the Attention Signal. This signal consisted of combined sine waves at frequencies of 853 and 960 Hz, chosen for their discordant nature to capture attention effectively. Relay stations equipped with decoders detected this signal, triggering alarms that alerted staff to incoming communications, which were subsequently relayed further. The Attention Signal was introduced during the mid-1960s.

A nationwide alert termed an Emergency Action Notification (EAN) was compulsory for all broadcast stations; however, alerts related to local civil emergencies and weather warnings were optional unless a station served as a primary source. Activation of the EAN involved wire services such as the Associated Press and United Press International sending a distinctive message that began with a series of X's followed by ten bell rings on Teletype machines. To prevent unauthorized activations, these messages included a daily changing authentication password—stations lacking valid confirmation were not obligated to initiate the EBS.

False alarm of 1971

At 9:33 a.m. EST on February 20, 1971, an authenticated Emergency Action Notification was erroneously broadcast nationwide due to human error. Operator W.S. Eberhart mistakenly used an incorrect tape containing the unexpected codeword "HATEFULNESS," which triggered Message #1 instructing stations to immediately interrupt regular programming for emergency broadcasting. The subsequent cancellation message also contained this incorrect codeword, causing delays in officially ending the alert until 10:13 a.m. EST after several unsuccessful cancellation attempts.

This event exposed critical weaknesses in EAN procedures: numerous stations disregarded the alert, assuming it was only a test; others prematurely canceled without proper authorization codes or lacked necessary procedural documentation. Only about one-fifth of stations adhered fully to protocol, with some complying by going off-air as directed. The incident led the FCC to halt both EAN activations and codeword testing on February 25, 1971.

Following this, national activations were routed through news service desks and authenticated via the White House communications center, introducing approximately a one-minute delay. Several reforms were implemented: elimination of EAN Message #2 (which warned of an imminent attack), removal of alert tapes from broadcast equipment to avoid confusion with test materials, and additional security measures. The FCC reinstated automatic national EBS activations in December 1972, nearly 20 months after suspension.

Although a prerecorded presidential EBS announcement without an attack warning existed, it was not utilized during this false alarm, confirming the incident’s mistaken nature. Subsequent FCC publications removed Message #2’s attack warning function; nevertheless, FEMA quietly maintained such capabilities into the Reagan administration. This classified plan involved distributing prerecorded warnings via Priority Four channels rather than through official FCC protocols and is documented only in limited sources, including a 1981 memo from the Reagan White House and an actual recorded attack warning announcement.

System uses

The FCC’s Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) included comprehensive procedures and exact scripts for stations during an Emergency Action Notification (EAN). The public was advised to refrain from telephone use and depend on broadcast stations for emergency updates.

"The Emergency Broadcast System will carry presidential messages from the National Command Post as they are broadcast. Locally programmed broadcasts will provide news and emergency instructions for your area."

As late as 1981, the EBS was capable of transmitting alerts concerning nuclear threats along with presidential addresses. In times of national crisis, the White House Press Secretary operated from FEMA’s Mount Weather facility to initiate prerecorded warnings including attack alerts and siren activations.

Broadcast priorities for stations were as follows:

  • Presidential communications
  • State-level emergency information
  • Local emergency updates (such as evacuation orders, sheltering instructions, severe weather)
  • National programming excluding presidential messages

Presidential announcements were always broadcast live; other official messages followed this priority sequence. Lower-priority content like gubernatorial addresses was typically recorded for later rebroadcast unless unusually lengthy, in which case they were aired live.

Participation in EAN broadcasting was voluntary. Stations unprepared or unwilling to participate were designated as "non-participating" by the FCC and required to direct their listeners elsewhere prior to ceasing transmission until the EAN concluded. No station was permitted to continue regular programming during a national emergency.

"All stations not authorized to remain on the air as part of the United States Emergency Broadcast System have been instructed to go off the air."

To ensure compliance with FCC regulations prohibiting unauthorized programming during EBS operations, a federal newsroom was established at Mount Weather. Ron Nessen, President Gerald Ford’s Press Secretary, confirmed that this facility supported evacuated journalists alongside the president during emergencies.

Testing the system

Before its suspension, radio and television broadcasters were obligated to conduct a Weekly Transmission Test of the Attention Signal and Test Script between 8:30 a.m. and local sunset. These weekly tests were mandatory unless the station had activated the EBS due to an actual emergency or took part in a coordinated test during that week. Additionally, stations maintained logs of tests received from monitored stations to verify signal reliability and detect any transmission or reception problems.

Opening announcement

Testing usually interrupted regular programming during commercial breaks. Television outlets presented a series of video slides for the opening announcements, attention signals, and closing statements—often cycling through multiple slides per test. Typical announcements included phrases such as:

  • "This is a test. For the next sixty (or thirty) seconds, this station will conduct a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test."
  • "(Host Station name) is conducting a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test." (primarily on radio)
  • "This is a test. (Host Station) is conducting a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test."
  • "This is a test. Stations (Host Station names) are conducting a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test." (used when multiple stations in one market participated)
  • "This is a test. This station is conducting a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test."
  • "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test."
  • "The following is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System."
  • "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. Important information will follow this tone."

The designations "Emergency Broadcasting System" and "Emergency Action Notification System" were used interchangeably in these announcements.

Attention Signal

Prior to 1976, primary stations alerted secondary stations by rapidly turning their transmitters off and on, followed by emitting a 1000 Hz tone lasting 15 seconds, a procedure inherited from CONELRAD. Television stations adhered to similar protocols but only interrupted their audio carriers rather than the entire transmitter. This rapid cycling earned the nickname "EBS Stress Test" due to frequent transmitter malfunctions.[1]

In 1976, the system transitioned to using a dual-tone Attention Signal consisting of 853 Hz and 960 Hz frequencies, which eliminated the need for transmitter cycling. Between 1976 and 1995, this signal was broadcast for durations ranging from 20 to 25 seconds; after mid-1995, stations were permitted to transmit it anywhere between 8 and 25 seconds. Exemptions applied to noncommercial educational FM stations with power under 10 watts as well as low-powered television broadcasters.[2]

Mid-test announcement

Immediately following the Attention Signal, stations typically aired an announcement such as:

  • "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. The broadcasters of your area in voluntary cooperation with the FCC and other authorities (later expanded to include "federal, state and local authorities") have developed this system to keep you informed in the event of an emergency."

Some broadcasters started their tests with this statement before playing the Attention Signal and then proceeded with an additional announcement.[3]

Initially, non-primary stations were mandated to cease broadcasting during emergencies, instructing listeners via announcements to switch to other stations for information. By the early 1980s, this shutdown requirement was eliminated due to enhancements in relay capabilities and evolving military threat assessments. The message then shifted to:

  • "If this had been an actual emergency, the Attention Signal you just heard would have been followed by official information, news, or instructions."

Certain stations enumerated specific emergencies that could trigger EBS activation, including tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and attacks on U.S. territory—some explicitly mentioned in test scripts by broadcasters such as WRTI-AM-FM in Philadelphia and WXYZ-TV in Detroit.[4] During the late 1980s and early 1990s, television stations in Los Angeles emphasized earthquake preparedness within their testing scripts.[5]

As the EBS evolved into the Emergency Alert System (EAS) during the mid-1990s, some stations adopted this concluding message:

  • "This station is testing its Emergency Broadcast System equipment. The EBS will soon be replaced with the Emergency Alert System; the EAS will provide timely emergency warnings."

Conclusion

The test typically ended with statements such as:

  • "(Host station) provides service to (operational area). This concludes this Emergency Broadcast System test."
  • "Stations within the (public broadcasting network) cover all operational areas in (state). This concludes this Emergency Broadcast System test." (Frequently used by statewide public networks.)
  • "This station covers the (operational area). This concludes this Emergency Broadcast System test."
  • "This station provides service to (operational area). This concludes this Emergency Broadcast System test."
  • "This concludes this Emergency Broadcast System test serving the (operational area)."
  • "This concludes this Emergency Broadcast System test on (station)."

Variations

Differences in test scripts were influenced by FCC guidelines, local customs, and whether a station served as a primary EBS broadcaster. Stations either delivered the script live or utilized prerecorded versions. Notably, WHEN in Syracuse and WGR in Buffalo performed a musical rendition of the script. Additional variations included those produced by Los Angeles-based Cheap Radio Thrills and the comedic duo Bob and Ray. While the FCC banned singing or humorous adaptations, it permitted broadcasts in other languages when appropriate for the station’s audience, as demonstrated by KWEX-TV in San Antonio. Warning message scripts allowed non-English transmissions only if an English version accompanied them.

During the 1980s, WFSB in Hartford integrated sign language interpretation for deaf viewers alongside a male announcer’s spoken delivery during test announcements. Likewise, KTVT in Dallas encouraged viewers to share test information with individuals who were hard of hearing or visually impaired during the closing statement.

Purpose of the Test and Cultural Impact

These tests allowed both the FCC and broadcasters to confirm the functionality of EBS tone transmitters and decoders. Weekly tests combined with occasional full system activations showed that roughly 80% of broadcast stations nationwide could disseminate emergency programming within five minutes following a national alert.

The weekly EBS attention signals became ingrained in American culture, inspiring various jokes and comedic sketches, including musical adaptations during the 1970s. The system was even referenced in popular programs such as Family Feud, reflecting its widespread cultural recognition. Many adults recall childhood fear triggered by these test signals, highlighting their significant public impact.

Criticism

Although designed primarily to facilitate presidential communication during national crises, the EBS encountered doubts concerning its real-world effectiveness. Curt Beckmann of WCCO-AM remarked in 1984 that if major networks were incapacitated, relying on the EBS as a backup seemed improbable since broadcasters might themselves be non-operational without network support.

See also

Further reading

External links

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