Press Release No. JIC-09
The Current Situation as of 11 a.m., Thursday, April 11, 2013
For Immediate Release
(Hagatna, Guam) The Government’s transmission of the signal for the Emergency Alert System (EAS) was 100 percent successful; however, not all stations broadcasted the alert within the time frame mandated by the Federal Communications Commission. The Joint Information Center executed all protocols at 10 a.m. KSTEREO (the EAS broadcaster) and the National Weather Service (NWS) transmitted the signal to all television and radio broadcasters. The Federal Communications Commission requires all TV and radio broadcasters to retransmitt the alert within 15 minutes of transmission.
The other part of the EAS that was tested was a text message (SMS) alert to select phone numbers (only a sample group of subscribers from each carrier) from all mobile phone carriers. All were successful.
The Emergency Operations Center is working with the carriers, where the emergency alert system was not broadcasted to resolve the gap. The Governor’s Chief of Staff has ordered a second test today, and has directed the EOC to resolve the gaps for 100 percent success.
Condition YELLOW: No Change in Threat Level
There is no change in the threat level on Guam since yesterday. The island remains in YELLOW condition; the Governor placed Guam in YELLOW condition yesterday. Again, this means we should continue with our daily lives while preparing ourselves for any potential of an emergency. It also means the government pulls its resources together through the Emergency Operations Center to ensure we are prepared to respond to emergencies.
The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is now operating under color-coded threat levels (for security threats like the one posed by North Korea), 24-hours a day. This is similar to warning levels during a typhoon, when the EOC uses the terms “Condition of Readiness-1” through “-4.”
These are the color codes, comparable to the meanings of the three colors on a traffic light:
Ø  GREEN means all is well. Green on a traffic light means everything is okay to move forward. In emergency planning, green is the normal, everyday color and means there is a low risk of any type of situation. During a GREEN condition, government operations continue as normal.
Ø  YELLOW means be careful. A traffic light that is yellow means to continue moving forward, but do so carefully. This is the same color used by government agencies to indicate there is a medium risk for the island. During a YELLOW condition, the government will continue to operate like normal with a few government agencies participating in emergency preparedness and planning.
Ø  RED means stop what you’re doing, and prepare yourself immediately for the impending emergency. Government officials use red to indicate there is a high risk to the island from a security threat, such as a foreign military attack. During a RED condition, emergency operations are in full swing.
 Fact Sheets Attached
It is important for all residents to be vigilant and prepared by reviewing all of the FACT SHEETS the Joint Information Center has released including
–          Fact Sheet 1 — The first step in being prepared is being informed
–          Fact Sheet 2 — How to protect your family
–          Fact Sheet 3 — What to do if your child is at school or daycare
–          Fact Sheet 4 (NEW) — What will GovGuam do during an emergency
These fact sheets are available online at ghs.guam.gov, at the village mayor’s offices or by emailing info@guam.gov.
Admiral Assures Guamanians that Defenses Are Strong & Adequate
Before speaking to reporters yesterday at the EOC, Governor Calvo spoke with Commander of Joint Region Marianas Admiral Tilghman Payne. The Admiral gave assurances to the Governor that the layer of defenses protecting the Mariana Islands is strong and adequate even before the THAAD missile defense system arrives.
“Even though we’re protected, it’s important we are vigilant,” Governor Calvo said. “Look at the fact sheets, be prepared, and stay tuned for news coming out of the Joint Information Center.”
JIC on 24-Hour Operation
The Joint Information Center also now is on 24-hour operation. We provide this service to ensure constant monitoring and reporting of the escalated situation, and to provide the public a 24-hour outlet to call. Again, the number is 475-9600.

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