Activation and Testing

There are three steps for an EAS Activation. Zone Selection, Global Activation, and Audio Broadcast. Following these activation procedures ensures emergency announcements can be heard in entirety. An EAS activation that is not in sequence could lead to the loss of crucial safety instructions at the start of the emergency broadcast.

Step 1: Arm Zone

To "Arm" a zone, click on it. The zone will change from gray to red, the status indicator will also change from Disarmed to Armed. Multiple zones can be selected.

Step 2: Activate

Next, click the "Hold to Activate" button for three seconds. Once activated, the previously selected zone will start to blink red. At the trigger box, the light will flash red and the contact closure will trigger any preprogramed audio overrides.

Step 3: Audio Broadcast

After arming a zone and activating EAS, the audio has been stopped at the selected stages. The system is now ready for broadcast of emergency instructions. Select an audio source to broadcast from the Sources menu

Clip Broadcast

Click the "Broadcast Clip" button

Live Mic Broadcast

Once "Live Microphone" is selected from the Sources menu, confirm that the correct input device is selected. Tap on the mic to verify that it is selected, the VU meter should indicate it is live. If you do not see activity in the vu meter, the wrong mic may be selected. Once confirming the correct mic is selected, press broadcast mic.

FOH Activation Procedures

When the system is activated during an emergency:

• Make sure program audio has been muted and adjust emergency audio as needed. Attendees must be able to hear emergency instructions.
• Make sure you are able to hear any appropriate radio and com channels that may be used to relay emergency instructions.
• Inform other production staff that there has been an activation. Stage managers, monitor engineers, and other production staff may not know about an activation right away.

EAS Testing Recommendations

A comprehensive EAS test should be operated by the same audio and event safety personnel responsible during the event. This ensures emergency procedures, audio override, and EAS systems will function properly during an emergency.

Be sure to have a live audio source at the stage before initiating an EAS test. Tests should also verify the audio override system is working.