The last EBS test for the 2020 academic year took place in November 2020. The test was a collaboration between the Education Board of Scotland (EBS) and the Scotland Statistics Authority. The purpose of the test was to measure the effectiveness of student learning in Scotland by assessing educational standards across a range of curricular areas.
Questions on the test were based on the curriculum being taught in all years across all Local Authorities in Scotland. Questions were structured to assess students’ understanding of core academic content and also their ability to think and apply their knowledge in a practical context.
Results of the test are scheduled to be released in February 2021.
When did the Emergency Alert System start?
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) was established in 1997 following the passage of the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997. The law required the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a nationwide emergency alert system as part of the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS).
The purpose of the system was to provide effective and timely communication of emergency information, such as flash flood warnings or evacuation notices, to the general public.
The FCC adopted the EAS Final Rule on May 15, 1998, officially launching the Emergency Alert System (EAS). It allowed broadcasters, cable TV systems, and other means of communication to alert the public in areas where a hazard was imminent, such as tornadoes, floods, and other disasters.
The EAS also enabled the President of the United States to address the public under a nationwide emergency alert.
In subsequent years, the FCC issued new regulations concerning the EAS, such as the EAS Modernization Report and Order, which updated the EAS architecture, broadcast rules, and activation procedures.
These regulations were geared toward promoting communication between state and local governments and the public during emergency situations.
Today, the EAS is used by government agencies—such as the National Weather Service, FEMA, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)—to notify the public of potential dangers and provide critical safety information.
It is an invaluable tool for public safety and has served as a lifeline for communities facing difficult times.
Why was the EAS created?
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) was created to deliver critical and potentially life-saving alert and warning messages, including Amber Alerts, Presidential Alerts, and severe weather warnings, to the American public in a coordinated and cost-efficient manner.
It is the nation’s program for providing emergency notification to the public and serves as an effective tool for local, state, and federal levels of government to disseminate real-time urgent information to Americans.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the National Weather Service (NWS) sponsor the program and these agencies coordinate with Federal, state, and local public safety officials for the delivery of emergency alert messages.
The alert messages are broadcast on all TV and radio channels and then re-broadcast by cable operators, so that no single source can be relied upon to provide the information.
The EAS provides the public with timely alerts and warnings of potential danger, during catastrophic events, moral hazards, acts of terror, and other emergencies. This system is ultimately designed to protect lives, property, and the economy, by providing forewarning of hazardous and potentially life-threatening events.
What is the scariest EAS alarm in the world?
The scariest EAS alarm in the world is the dreaded HAIL SIREN. Originally invented by the U. S. Navy to warn sailors of impending storms, the HAIL SIREN is a low, monotonous tone that drones on for several minutes, shrinking in intensity and duration over the course of its alert.
Its frequencies can penetrate through the walls of any building, and its ability to cut through soundproof insulation makes it one of the most dreaded sounds. It’s been compared to a fire station siren crossed with the wail of an air raid siren—a disruption that can cause an almost primal fear in many people.
Learning about the HAIL SIREN is even scarier—its use of phase cancel which suppresses any sound that is orthogonal to the signal can be used to target areas of different densities, making it even harder to hide from this sound.
Why does the EAS sound like that?
The EAS (Emergency Alert System) has a distinctive sound because it needs to be instantly recognizable on all types of media platforms. In order to achieve this, the EAS sound is a sharp, loud tone repeating every 8 seconds.
The urgency of the sound alerts viewers of a pending emergency alert, and encourages them to find appropriate means of receiving the alert message. The sound was developed in collaboration with equipment manufacturers and industry experts to ensure it was loud enough to be heard over all broadcasting formats.
The EAS tone is used as a warning for potentially life-saving information related to severe weather, AMBER Alerts, and other civil emergency alerts.
How does EAS system work?
The Eas system stands for Electronic Article Surveillance, and it is a system used to detect the removal of items from establishments that require monitoring, such as retail stores. It works by applying small, individually-coded labels or tags to merchandise that needs to be monitored.
These tags are then detected as customers pass through an antenna-like arch, known as an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) antenna, that is positioned near the store’s exit. The antenna reads the tags’ codes and signals the system when a tagged article is taken out of the store.
The alarm system alerts store personnel, who can then investigate the situation. The EAS labels can be deactivated by the cashier when the item is purchased, or deactivated upon exiting the store.
EAS systems are beneficial to retail establishments, as they provide an additional layer of security and can help discourage shoplifters. They can also help reduce costs associated with shoplifting, by identifying and apprehending shoplifters quickly and efficiently.
Additionally, EAS systems can provide an audit trail of merchandise passing through the checkout, which can be beneficial for inventory management and accounting purposes.
Does the UK have an alert system?
Yes, the UK has an alert system known as the National Warning and Alert Network (NWAN). This system enables emergency services to send alerts simultaneously to media outlets, local authorities, and individuals in the vicinity of a particular event, such as a severe weather warning, a terrorist alert, or an emergency services incident.
The alerts can be sent via radio, television, mobile phones, and email. They also provide information on where to find support and advice following an alert, as well as how to stay safe. NWAN works alongside other alert systems in the UK, such as the national alerting scheme for areas affected by flooding, to provide a comprehensive coverage of risk throughout the country.
What is a black alert?
A black alert is an emergency situation declared when hospitals and other healthcare facilities are unable to meet the demands created by an influx of patients. During a black alert, hospitals and other healthcare centers are overloaded with primary care, specialty care, and emergency care.
A black alert may be declared when there is a significant increase in patient flow due to a sudden spike in the number of illnesses, injuries, or other health-related issues. Additionally, a black alert may be declared if an unavoidable event, such as an emergency declared during a natural disaster or due to a pandemic, causes a large influx of medical attention.
During a black alert, hospital and other healthcare resources—e. g. , staff, equipment, and medications—are overwhelmed with patients and urgent care is given priority over non-emergency care. Healthcare staff may be required to work longer hours, extra staff may need to be brought in, and a hospital’s intake system may need to be revised.
Furthermore, non-urgent or elective procedures or treatments may be cancelled in order to re-organize resources to provide appropriate and immediate care to those who require urgent attention. To manage a black alert, healthcare facilities typically declare a critical incident, in which resources are made available and personnel are put on standby.
How many presidential alerts have there been?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has sent three officially-designated Presidential Alerts since November 3, 2018. These alerts are issued all at once using the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system.
The first was a test of the WEA system conducted on November 3, 2018. This was followed by a test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on October 3, 2019, and the third was an informational message issued by President Trump on October 30, 2020.
The WEA system connects directly to cell phones, while the EAS reaches traditional radio and television broadcasters.
The Presidential Alerts sent via the WEA system are broadcast to all compatible cell phones in the United States. They are not meant to be used in case of emergency, but are instead a way to disseminate information such as Presidential messages.
The system is used to deliver notifications of imminent danger, warnings of national emergencies and other urgent events, or administrative messages from the President or other government officials.
Other alerts sent through this system include Amber Alerts, and weather and tsunami warnings.
Can you turn off presidential alerts?
No, you cannot turn off presidential alerts. Presidential alerts are a type of alert issued by the President of the United States via the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). This system is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
These alerts are broadcast over Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). This is a public safety system that allows authorized government alerting authorities to target messages to the public on all cell phones in the underlying coverage area regarding imminent threats.
The IPAWS system is part of the National Warning System and is programmed to send out messages on a local, state and national level in order to alert all people in the country of important information.
Presidential alerts are only issued in the event of a national emergency and cannot be turned off by the user or any other entity.
How do phones receive emergency alerts?
Phones receive emergency alerts via the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system. This system was created by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to quickly distribute severe weather and and other emergency messages to the public.
Wireless Emergency Alerts are sent directly to cell phones within the affected area. The messages are limited to 90 characters and are broadcast over the cell towers using Cell Broadcast technology, which is similar to the way AM/FM radio shows are broadcast.
In order for a phone to receive emergency alerts, it must have a WEA-compatible device, enabled for the service and connected to an enabled wireless network. When an emergency alert is issued, cell phones that are capable of receiving WEA alerts will receive a notification from their wireless service with a “Presidential Alert” message or a “Civil Emergency Message.
” Once activated, the alert message will appear on the phone’s home or lock screen, along with a sound or vibration.
Most major cell phone service providers in the United States participate in the Wireless Emergency Alerts program, including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular, and Boost Mobile. It’s important to note that iPhone and Android users may have to manually enable the feature on their phones to receive the alerts.
To check if your phone is WEA-compatible, you can visit your phone’s manufacturer’s website.
What is a Marcos alert in the Bahamas?
A Marcos alert is an emergency alert issued in The Bahamas to indicate an imminent threat to life and property. This alert, also known as an observation alert, usually indicates an impending natural disaster, terrorist attack or criminal activity.
The Marcos alert is named after theBahamas’ National Emergency Management Agency’s mascot, Marcos the Parrot. The agency coordinates the issuance of the alert and advises public response in the event of an emergency situation.
The alert is broadcast in the form of a siren which is heard at regular intervals in public places and on radio and television channels. After the siren has sounded, the public is asked to remain indoors and to refrain from entering any high risk areas.
The public must also stay informed by listening to warnings on the radio or television, and following the instructions of local authorities.
How does the national alert system work?
The national alert system is a program used by state and local governments to sound alert messages to their citizens. It serves as an emergency warning system and can be activated on multiple channels, including radio broadcasts, television broadcasts, digital road signs, sirens, and a variety of other methods.
When activated, the national alert system sends out an alarm signal which alerts citizens that they should stay in their current location, or evacuate if necessary. The message will also give instructions and directions on how to respond to the alert, as well as provide additional safety tips and other information.
Most national alert system signals are broadcasted on average 5 minutes before the start of an emergency, while some local systems may be able to provide more advance warning notifications in some cases.
After an emergency is declared, alert messages are sent out in multiple formats to ensure their delivery.
Alert messages can be sent through radio, television, text messages, email, and mobile phone applications. The systems aim to provide citizens with the best possible information in the shortest amount of time.
When was the first emergency alert?
The first emergency alert, known as the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS), was introduced in 1963 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It was designed to quickly and effectively alert the public in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.
The system included a network of local television and radio stations that were connected to a central control system. If an alert was issued, these stations would broadcast a “tone alert” to indicate an imminent emergency message.
The exact content of the message would depend on the situation. Upon hearing the sound, viewers and listeners were directed to switch over to a specific frequency for further instructions. Over the years, the EBS system has been replaced by other alerting systems, such as the Emergency Alert System (EAS).
This system has enhanced computer capabilities and allows for alerts to be sent directly to mobile devices.