Government agencies are always looking for newer and better ways to alert their population to potential problems. Emergency Notification Systems are an important part of the government to get word out to their citizens. Different companies and different government agencies are always looking to find the best way to get this word out. The state of Louisiana has recently completed the rolling out of ALERT FM and GSSNet systems across the state. This FM radio-based emergency alert system will change the way that voice and text notifications are delivered to the public.
While it seems that more and more companies are trying to take their emergency alert systems to higher technologies like LTE networks, there is something to be said for sticking with FM radio bands. The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness announced their new FM band emergency alert system on Thursday, May 30.
That agency, as well as emergency alert managers from all over the state will use the FM band to notify the state’s citizens of weather issues, as well as any other alerts it feels are needed. This system will even contain updates such as the Amber Alert when it is needed.
The ALERT FM is different from other notification systems because it uses the data subcarrier of local FM radio transmission towers. This will be one of the only systems like this in the country and because it has this sort of backup system it will be able to reach more people should something go wrong with the initial network. The overlapping nature of this system also means that it is reaching as many people as possible in a shorter period of time. Radio and television stations in Louisiana will be monitoring the networks and relaying emergency messages to the people using their own broadcast networks.
Edited by
Rory J. Thompson 
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