How Your TV Will React in an Emergency

Your TV is a source of entertainment, education, and information. On this blog, we've talked about how your TV can bring you closer to your family, help educate your kids, and keep you abreast of current events. But did you know your TV also has an important role to play in the case of an emergency?

It's an interesting factoid that you may or may not know: every modern television in American is equipped to be a part of the Emergency Broadcasting Service (EBS). Here's a little trivia for you about the EBS.

1. The Emergency Broadcasting System was implemented in 1963. It was originally intended for use during wartime but was expanded for peacetime emergencies as well.
2. It has never been used to broadcast a national emergency. We can count our blessings that the U.S. hasn't had an emergency big enough to warrant the use of EBS since its creation.
3. It has been used over 20,000 times to broadcast localized messages. From civil emergencies to severe weather hazards, the EBS has gotten its share of use.
4. The President would activate the national level EBS messages. In the case of a nationwide emergency, the President of the United States would decide whether to activate the EBS or not.
5. A false alarm showed flaws in 1971. The EBS was accidentally activated in 1971, and the accident revealed fatal flaws in the system. Many stations didn't receive the message, and those that did often ignored it thinking it was a drill or didn't know what actions to take.

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