Specific Area Message Encoding - Event Codes

Event Codes

There are roughly 80 different event codes that are currently used in EAS and are part of the voluntary Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) standard for SAME protocol receiver decoder units. Originally, all but the first six of these were optional and could be programmed into encoder/decoder units at the request of the broadcaster. However, a July 12, 2007 memo by the FCC now requires mandatory participation in state and local level EAS. Furthermore, the creation and evolution of a voluntary standard by the CEA in December 2003 has provided participating manufacturers of receivers a single definitive reference to use when designing and programming receivers.

Currently Implemented:

The following event codes are currently implemented by agencies in the United States and/or Canada.

Event Code	U.S. Type	CAN. Type	Event Description	Event Level
ADR	O1	AB	Administrative Message	ADV
AVA	O2	FI	Avalanche Watch	WCH
AVW	O2	FI	Avalanche Warning	WRN
BZW	O1	CI	Blizzard Warning	WRN
CAE	O2	FI	Child Abduction Emergency	ADV
CDW	O2	FI	Civil Danger Warning	WRN
CEM	O1	FI	Civil Emergency Message	WRN
CFA	O2	FI	Coastal Flood Watch	WCH
CFW	O2	FI	Coastal Flood Warning	WRN
DMO	O1	AB	Demonstration Message	ADV
DSW	O2	CI	Dust Storm Warning	WRN
EAN	M	FI	Emergency Action Notification (Begins a nationwide EAS activation)	WRN
EAT	M	FI	Emergency Action Termination (Ends a national activation)	ADV
EQW	O2	FI	Earthquake Warning	WRN
EVI	O1	FI	Evacuation Immediate	WRN
FFA	O1	FI	Flash Flood Watch	WCH
FFS	O1	FI	Flash Flood Statement	ADV
FFW	O1	FI	Flash Flood Warning	WRN
FLA	O1	FI	Flood Watch	WCH
FLS	O1	FI	Flood Statement	ADV
FLW	O1	FI	Flood Warning	WRN
FRW	O2	FI	Fire Warning	WRN
FSW	NI	CI	Flash Freeze Warning	WRN
FZW	NI	CI	Freeze Warning (in Canada, 'Frost Warning' - See note below ** )	WRN
HLS	O1	FI	Hurricane Local Statement	ADV
HMW	O2	FI	Hazardous Materials Warning	WRN
HUA	O1	CI	Hurricane Watch	WCH
HUW	O1	CI	Hurricane Warning	WRN
HWA	O1	FI	High Wind Watch	WCH
HWW	O1	CI	High Wind Warning	WRN
LAE	O2	FI	Local Area Emergency	ADV
LEW	O2	FI	Law Enforcement Warning	WRN
NAT	NI	AB	National Audible Test	ADV
NIC	M	AB	National Information Center Statement (Used to follow up an EAN)	ADV
NMN	O2	AB	Network Message Notification	ADV
NPT	M	AB	National Periodic Test	ADV
NST	NI	AB	National Silent Test	ADV
NUW	O2	FI	Nuclear Power Plant Warning	WRN
RHW	O2	FI	Radiological Hazard Warning	WRN
RMT	M	RT	Required Monthly Test	ADV
RWT	M	RT	Required Weekly Test	ADV
SMW	O2	TS	Special Marine Warning	WRN
SPS	O1	FI	Special Weather Statement	ADV
SPW	O2	FI	Shelter In-place Warning	WRN
SVA	O1	CI	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	WCH
SVR	O1	CI	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	WRN
SVS	O1	TS	Severe Weather Statement (U.S., CAN)	ADV
TOA	O1	CI	Tornado Watch	WCH
TOE	O2	FI	911 Telephone Outage Emergency	ADV
TOR	O1	CI	Tornado Warning	WRN
TRA	O2	CI	Tropical Storm Watch	WCH
TRW	O2	CI	Tropical Storm Warning	WRN
TSA	O1	TS	Tsunami Watch	WCH
TSW	O1	TS	Tsunami Warning	WRN
VOW	O2	FI	Volcano Warning	WRN
WSA	O1	CI	Winter Storm Watch	WCH
WSW	O1	CI	Winter Storm Warning (Canada, see note below † )	WRN
??A	O2	CI	Unrecognized Watch	WCH
??E	O2	CI	Unrecognized Emergency	ADV
??S	O2	CI	Unrecognized Statement	ADV
??W	O2	CI	Unrecognized Warning	WRN

** While the CEA standard lists the FZW event code as "Freeze Warning", Environment Canada refers to it as a "Frost Warning". However, it will be displayed as a "Freeze Warning" on receivers that are compliant to the CEA standard.

† Environment Canada additionally uses the WSW event code to refer to any of the following weather conditions: Blowing Snow Warning, Freezing Drizzle Warning, Freezing Rain Warning, Snowfall Warning, Snow Squall Warning

Internal Use Only:

Receiver decoders that comply to the CEA standard will neither display the messages below, nor activate a warning tone if applicable. While the message will be stored in memory, it will not be displayed to the user. The FCC has also designated these event codes as being for "internal use only", and not for display. Environment Canada lists these messages as "Administrative Bulletins".

Event Code	U.S. Type	CAN. Type	Event Description	Event Level
TXB	O2	AB	Transmitter backup on	ADV
TXF	O2	AB	Transmitter carrier off	ADV
TXO	O2	AB	Transmitter carrier on	ADV
TXP	O2	AB	Transmitter primary on	ADV

Future Implementation:

The following codes are part of the CEA standard for receiver decoders, but are not listed as currently being in use by any agencies in the United States. Environment Canada lists these codes as being "for future implementation".

Event Code	U.S. Type	CAN. Type	Event Description	Event Level
BHW	NI	FI	Biological Hazard Warning	WRN
BWW	NI	FI	Boil Water Warning	WRN
CHW	NI	FI	Chemical Hazard Warning	WRN
CWW	NI	FI	Contaminated Water Warning	WRN
DBA	NI	FI	Dam Watch	WCH
DBW	NI	FI	Dam Break Warning	WRN
DEW	NI	FI	Contagious Disease Warning	WRN
EVA	NI	FI	Evacuation Watch	WCH
FCW	NI	FI	Food Contamination Warning	WRN
IBW	NI	FI	Iceberg Warning	WRN
IFW	NI	FI	Industrial Fire Warning	WRN
LSW	NI	FI	Land Slide Warning	WRN
POS	NI	FI	Power Outage Statement	ADV
WFA	NI	FI	Wild Fire Watch	WCH
WFW	NI	FI	Wild Fire Warning	WRN

The FCC established naming conventions for EAS event codes. The third letter of the code must be one of the following.

Third Letter of Event Code	Category	Description
W	Warning	An event that alone poses a significant threat to public safety and/or property, probability of occurrence and location is high, and the onset time is relatively short.
A	Watch	Meets the classification of a warning, but either the onset time, probability of occurrence, or location is uncertain.
E	Emergency	An event that, by itself, would not kill or injure or do property damage, but indirectly may cause other things to happen that result in a hazard.
S	Statement	A message containing follow up information to a warning, watch, or emergency.

The exception to this convention is for "TOR" (tornado warning), "SVR" (Severe Thunderstorm Warning), "EVI" (Evacuation Immediate), the EAS national activation codes, and adminsitrative messages.