WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 4, 2024 – The House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee today recommended $40 million for fiscal year 2025 for the Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) which provides critical investment in public broadcasting’s public safety infrastructure.
“America’s public television stations are grateful that the subcommittee proposed $40 million to continue the Next Generation Warning System,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations.
“Public safety and civil defense are essential parts of public television’s mission to serve the American people. Public broadcasting stations reach 99% of the American population, and we are the only local media in many communities, making our work in alert and warning critical to the safety of people and communities throughout the country.
“Public television’s digital infrastructure provides the backbone for emergency alert, public safety, first responder, and homeland security services in many States and communities, including many local stations that serve as their States’ primary Emergency Alert Service (EAS) hub for severe weather and AMBER alerts.
“In addition, public television has partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system that enables cell subscribers to receive geo-targeted text messages in the event of an emergency — reaching them wherever they are in times of crisis, even if the internet is disrupted. Between January 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024, 8,500 WEAs were issued by over 1,600 federal, State, local, tribal and territorial authorities and transmitted over PBS WARN throughout the country, demonstrating the importance of this lifesaving technology.
“Public television stations have worked with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to demonstrate the effectiveness of our public safety communications capability in flood control and evacuation, school shooting scenarios, large crowd management, over-water emergency communications and other lifesaving applications.
“Public television stations have also partnered with the California Office of Emergency Services to reduce the early earthquake warning standard from 30 seconds to less than 3 seconds. We’ve built a Statewide Emergency Communications Network with the State of Tennessee, public media stations in Florida created an emergency network that delivers up-to-the minute weather and news reports during severe weather events in Florida and South Carolina, and we’ve pursued many other alert and warning initiatives across America.
“These lifesaving public safety services depend on reliable and resilient public broadcasting infrastructure. The Next Generation Warning System program helps local stations, particularly those serving rural and underserved areas, replace the aging infrastructure that endangers this public safety mission. In addition, this program supports infrastructure needed for enhancements to alert and warning and other public safety communications systems to ensure resilience and the ability to meet the evolving nature of public safety challenges.
“We appreciate Chair Mark Amodei (R-NV), Ranking Member Lauren Underwood (D-IL) and the entire subcommittee’s continuing bipartisan support for the public safety work of local public television stations. We look forward to working with the full House Appropriations Committee and all Members of Congress to ensure that this critical funding moves forward through the appropriations process.”
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About APTS
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization ensuring a strong and financially sound public television system and helping member stations provide essential public services in education, public safety and civic leadership to the American people. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
Contact:
Kate Riley
202-654-4206
kriley@apts.org