Emergency Alert System Not Wired

Mark L. Goldstein, director of physical infrastructure at the Government Accountability Office, testified before Congress that the federal government has made limited progress in updating the Cold War-era Emergency Alert System that relies on radio and television broadcasts. A lack of specific timetables and goals has slowed installation of a new system that would spread messages through other media channels, called the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). Since many Americans get their information from handhelds, PCs and cell phones, this is a problem.