A friend sent this photo recently.

See those little triangles in circles on the “dial” near the 6 and the 13? Do you know they are? Does anyone you know know what they are?

They are a part of American history. Under a program called CONELRAD, created in 1951.

CONELRAD (CONtrol of ELectromagnetic RADiation) was a child of WW2 and the Cold War.

Using your AM radio, this was a precursor to the more modern Emergency Alert System. That, starting in 1997, is a national warning system in the Fifty States (and possessions) designed to allow authorized officials to broadcast emergency alerts and warning messages to the public via cable, satellite, broadcast, and AM/FM radio and television. Originally designed to protect and assist against a nuclear bombing attack by the Soviets, it included shutting down all “non-essential” radio and later television broadcasts which could be used (in pre-GPS days) to guide Soviet bombers to targets.

Of course, by 1951, there were other technologies that Soviets (or French or Chinese) attackers could use to pinpoint US military and civilian targets. Since then, of course, satellite recon and improved signal and other electronic tracking have made it hard to keep ahead of methods of targeting just about anything and anybody. (Except maybe the corpse of Jimma Hoffa.)

But the FedGov kept trying to do so. And found that

The Office of Civil Defense (under various names) was part of DoD until 1979, when it was changed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (the infamous FEMA), later moved by Bush II into the hated Department of Homeland Security. At the same time, it was expanded into more and more of a welfare agency, with many claiming that its true purpose is to be an internal security agency like the KGB or SS and Gestapo.

It was supposed to protect private citizens and businesses and private organizations. First from enemy attack and then from disasters, both manmade and natural. Sadly, much of that mission was corrupted into a welfare program for municipalities and especially to their police forces and sheriff’s departments: today’s “non-military” occupation force of the American police state.

But even today, the old CD establishment, now “Emergency Management” at the municipal and county level, with State and federal involvement, is a partnership that provides valuable services in case of emergencies and disasters: both natural and manmade. Floods, blizzards, hurricanes, wildfires, and many other problems are addressed in advance and at least try to follow well-thought-out procedures to protect people and our property and restore normal conditions.

(We here at TPOL believe that the government-led and -funded system is inferior in many ways. It could be replaced, if with difficulty, with truly purely voluntary organizations and systems. The only reason the current governmental system can function is due to a massive effort on the part of volunteers donating skills, knowledge, time, equipment, and money. Not just in rural and frontier areas but in urban zones as well.)

Today, the emergency alert system does continue to exist and does play an important role in helping communities. Many newer technologies help in this, as well as some older ones. Text messaging is of particular importance. Several of us here at TPOL have signed up for alerts from the Sheriffs and/or Emergency Management bureaus in the various counties in which we live and work. These, plus organizations like fire protection districts, emergency medical and health agencies and private businesses use the system daily. Together with warning sirens (a technology developed in the UK and Germany during the two World Wars), automated phone calls and manual phone trees, public address systems, and other measures, the AM-radio-based EAS is essential.

Which is one reason that many people – including some less-braindead-than-the-norm politicians – are opposed to the proposed elimination of AM radios as standard equipment in automobiles. A very important reason, in our opinion. Especially in the Western States. FM radio is nice: quality of sound and cost of operations support the switch to FM over the past decade, which continues today. However, FM radio is very limited in range. And of course, unless you are using a satellite-based internet service or radio (which few have), there are many parts of the West where there is little or no FM service: only AM and in particular local AM, can be heard especially during the day.

Which brings us back to our original point: Americans invented a system, however butchered and abused by government, to alert us to dangers due to natural and manmade disasters. It may be a system that few are actually aware of today, but in times of crisis, it is there.

Today, we can no longer depend on government (if we ever could) to provide honest and rapid notification of dangers. And today, the mainstream media is completely undependable. But as we develop private, volunteer alternatives to these failed systems, we should learn from, and adapt, what they have used in the past.