YOU WILL NEED THIS INFORMATION WHEN FILLING OUT THE MANDATORY FCC EAS FORM ONE

The Commission has formally opened up its new EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS), which means stations have until August 26, 2016 to get into the site and complete Form One.

Now that it’s live, all EAS participants are required to access it. There you’ll be able to obtain your own ETRS account credentials, with which you will then get into the system and complete Form One. Simply go to the ETRS page on the FCC’s website where you will find a link to the ETRA Registration Page (or you can cut to the chase and go straight to the Registration Page at this link). At the Registration Page you’ll be asked for identifying information (including name, address, phone numbers, FRN and FRN password). When you submit all that, you’ll receive an email with your ETRS account credentials and a link to the ETRS log-in page. Once you have headed to that link and logged in, you’ll find instructions for completing Form One.

YOU WILL BE ASKED TO ENTER YOUR “OPERATIONAL AREA.” CHOOSE YOUR SERVICE AREA FROM THIS MAP AND ENTER IT AS “ALABAMA ZONE ___ ” ON THE FCC FORM. WHEN YOU START TYPING IN THE DROP DOWN BOX ON THE FORM, ALL THE ALABAMA ZONES WILL POP UP.

The Commission cautions that care should be taken in accurately providing the EAS participant’s legal name during the registration process. It also instructs that any EAS participant “owned by a larger entity should accurately enter the owning entity’s legal name in the Owner of EAS Participant field in Form One”. Participants with multiple facilities will also be able to appoint a “coordinator” who would be able to access and revise data for all filers using the same FRN.

Again, it’s VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL STATIONS COMPLETE FORM ONE BY AUGUST 26TH. (You’ll have until September 26 to make any corrections, should that be necessary.) And remember, the next nationwide EAS test is currently scheduled for September 28.

To read the entire Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth blog, EAS Test Reporting System Now Open for Business, on this FCC requirement and the development of a new EAS Handbook, go to this link.