Conceived as a way for the president to communicate directly with the public in the event of a "national emergency," EBS was retired in the 1990s and replaced with EAS in 1997. Remember when the emergency broadcast system sounded on your television on Sept. 11, 2001? One long piercing beep followed by useful information on how to respond to the news that we’d just been attacked by terrorists. Perhaps you don’t remember because it never happened. Neither the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) nor its successor, the Emergency Alert System (EAS), made a peep on 9/11.The lack of noise sparked a public debate about the system’s usefulness.Conceived as a way for the president to communicate directly with the public in the event of a “national emergency,” EBS was retired in the 1990s and replaced with EAS in 1997. The national emergency warning system went digital and was extended to state and local authorities, enabling them to distribute emergency information via broadcast stations.Today, EAS is used to communicate news about hazardous material spills, severe weather and child abductions, according to Reynold Hoover, director of National Security Coordination at the Department of Homeland Security. But recent reports have sent warnings about holes in the system. A draft assessment of EAS released by the nonprofit Partnership for Public Warning concluded that the government needs to clarify rules about when and how EAS should be activated. In cooperation with the FCC, the DHS is evaluating new ways to disseminate emergency information using cell phones and the Internet. Related content feature Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023 Fears of recession, rising interest rates, mass tech layoffs, and conservative spending trends are likely to make dealmakers cautious, but an ever-increasing need to defend against bigger and faster attacks will likely keep M&A activity steady in By CSO Staff Sep 22, 2023 24 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions brandpost Unmasking ransomware threat clusters: Why it matters to defenders Similar patterns of behavior among ransomware treat groups can help security teams better understand and prepare for attacks By Joan Goodchild Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Cybercrime news analysis China’s offensive cyber operations support “soft power” agenda in Africa Researchers track Chinese cyber espionage intrusions targeting African industrial sectors. By Michael Hill Sep 21, 2023 5 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks Critical Infrastructure brandpost Proactive OT security requires visibility + prevention You cannot protect your operation by simply watching and waiting. It is essential to have a defense-in-depth approach. By Austen Byers Sep 21, 2023 4 mins Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe