Civil Emergency Message (CEM) alert is a false alarm

Many Americans were puzzled when they had a Civil emergency message shown on their television on Sunday, the message showed for a brief time on TV’s in Akron and the surrounding six counties at around 10PM June 15th, 2008. This electronic message showed on all televisions in those areas and a spokesman for Time Warner said they have “no control over emergency messages”.

Ohio.com are reporting that this a Civil Emergency Message was traced to a dispatcher in Tuscarawas County and that they were trying to issue an amber alert for a child that went missing. Although this message sent out was the wrong one and could have left some people in a panic, it’s good to see this ability in place for missing children especially after events such as Madeleine McCann going missing.

We have since heard that the message sent out was the wrong one and its being reported that the child was found. Did you see this Civil Emergency Message and if so what did you make of it?

Do you think television stations should have a little more control over what is shown or should they still be bypassed when it’s an emergency?

Emergency alert is a false alarm

There was no ''civil emergency'' in Akron or the surrounding six counties, as an electronic message on all television stations showed briefly around 10 p.m. Sunday.

Time Warner spokesman Bill Jasso said the cable company has no control over emergency messages and the mistake was traced to a dispatcher in Tuscarawas County attempting to issue an amber alert for a missing child.

The wrong message was sent out to all six counties. But the child was found.

What is a Civil Emergency Message  -- (Abbrev. CEM)

A message issued by the National Weather Service in coordination with Federal, state or local government to warn the general public of a non-weather related time-critical emergency which threatens life or property, e.g. nuclear accident, toxic chemical spill, etc.

Civil Emergency Messages Example StormNow

This product is issued by a National Weather Service office to announce a potentially hazardous situation. The Civil Emergency Message (CEM) may be used to announce chemical spills, nuclear accidents, fires, evacuations, road closings, and other similar emergency situations.

Example

850
WOUS43 KDMX 131758
CEMDMX
IAC153-132100-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
CIVIL EMERGENCY MESSAGE
DES MOINES POLICE DEPARTMENT
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1258 PM CDT FRI JUN 13 2008

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE DES
MOINES POLICE DEPARTMENT.

BASED ON THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION...IT IS STRONGLY
RECOMMENDED TO MAKE IMMEDIATE PLANS FOR EVACUATION ALONG THE DES
MOINES RIVER.

TUNE TO LOCAL TELEVISION OR RADIO STATIONS FOR THE ZONES REQESTED
TO BE EVACUATED OR LOG INTO THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE:

WWW.DMGOV.ORG

FOR EVACUATION AND SHELTER INFORMATION. 

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