> Lets say that you are a mom and pop operation and a big storm comes in.
> You do not have a large staff lets say a morning person and syndicated the
> rest of the day but you are a 24 hour operation.
> Question how would cover the hurricane?
Well, here's a very real world answer, from an operation that suffered tremendous damage from Hurricane Ivan, much of it from electrical spikes, created when the wind kept blowing power lines together, and/or blew trees on them. To that, add the insurance company's assertion that we were NOT covered for damage resulting from "artificially generated currents". Also, keep in mind that we are a 3-station, 4-site operation, based in a community of just over 5,000 population. We simply cannot afford to purchase and operate four generators, so we don't.
After our Ivan experience, with both Dennis and Katrina, when the weather began to seriously deteriorate, we pulled the main breakers at all three transmitter sites and the studio, and took the stations off the air, in order to prevent any electrical damage. In both cases, we were able to immediately return to the air, as soon as the EMC restored power at the transmitters.
Even though many would say that this is not the proper way to provide adequate public service, I maintain that we've done a pretty good job. Before the storm, we were able to provide all necessary pre-storm information. After the storm had passed, we were able to broadcast all necessary post-storm info.
I'd love to be stay on as long as we possibly could...maybe continuously, but without "hardened" facilities (generators, secure feeds to the transmitters, and a studio built to withstand high winds), it just isn't possible. The larger market stations can do this, as they have the revenue stream to make the investment.
Frankly, I'm hoping that the FCC, FEMA and any other initialed federal or state organizations, will do what the FCC did in the early 60's, at many small market stations. Back then, with the cold war threat of nuclear attack, there were thousands of "bomb shelters" built at many a small station. These included generators, audio equipment and wireless equipment, all housed in a heavily reinforced (nuclear fallout proof) structure, added onto the studio building. THE COST FOR ALL THIS WAS TOTALLY PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT. In order to protect and facilitate the emergency communications infrastructure, this same concept could (and should) be employed today.
If not in this manner, I would even appreciate "in kind" payment, by dropping the annual regulatory fees for smaller markets, and negotiation of at cost pricing and zero interest financing, for the equipment and construction needed.
Speaking only for myself, it's not that I'm unwilling, but if you ain't got the money, you ain't got the money.
<P ID="signature">______________
Jay Braswell - Moderator
Atlanta/North Florida/South Carolina/Georgia Boards</P>
