The Federal Emergency Management Agency and SiriusXM have announced a bolstering of their partnership, aiming to enhance the connectivity of FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) for the National Public Warning System. Under the new program, SiriusXM will provide FEMA with secure bandwidth on its proprietary satellite radio system.
The news comes as AM radio focuses on its effectiveness as a key part of the Emergency Alert System to keep the band in the dashboard as automakers try to remove free broadcasts. EAS connectivity is at the heart of the bipartisan AM For Every Vehicle Act, which would classify AM as a safety feature. No car manufacturers have expressed any interest in removing SiriusXM’s subscription service from automobiles.
This new agreement will see SiriusXM deliver a satellite-based system to FEMA’s NPWS, which comprises 77 designated radio broadcast stations and other relay facilities. These facilities will work in conjunction with FEMA to disseminate emergency alerts and critical warning information to the public.
SiriusXM has been working with FEMA for over twenty years, providing dedicated satellite radio receivers for emergency distribution and functioning as an NPWS station. SiriusXM also broadcasts Emergency Alert System (EAS) messages on its free preview channels during disasters.
To access that signal, cars or radios must have a special antenna and descrambler built in to get the emergency broadcast. SiriusXM does boast a large coverage area like traditional radio, but satellite signals can also be unreliable in “dead zones” like extremely rural areas, underground parking garages, tunnels, and places with heavy cover.
Antwane Johnson, Director of FEMA IPAWS, commented, “A secure, trusted, capable, and reliable technology ecosystem is the foundation of the IPAWS NPWS capability. IPAWS embraces innovative technologies and platforms, and SiriusXM’s satellite network helps reinforce our capabilities.”
Bridget Neville, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Signal Distribution Engineering at SiriusXM, added, “By supplying this satellite-based backup for FEMA’s backbone communications system, SiriusXM helps to strengthen FEMA’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to weather-related crises and other emergencies.”
