Zombie Alert- False Alarm.... This Time

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**Easy E**

http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/tv-zombie-attack-warning-a-false-alarm/article_96312830-759f-11e2-bb49-0019bb2963f4.html

A goof-up by some La Crosse disc jockeys caused WKBT-TV viewers to hear a warning of a zombie attack.

The message went out shortly after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday when the hosts of the Z-93 morning show were joking about how hackers broke into the Emergency Alert System of a Montana TV station Monday and sent out the bogus warning.

The problem: Z-93 is the primary station in the local emergency network, and when they played a tape of the hoax, the alert tones triggered WKBT’s receiver, which automatically rebroadcast the signal.

Viewers heard both the phony message — which warned of “dead bodies rising from their graves” in several Montana counties and attacking the living — as well as the local DJs’ laughter.

The hackers’ message warned people not to “approach or apprehend these bodies as they are extremely dangerous.”

“Our engineers caught it immediately and called them,” said Z-93 station manager Brian Michaels, who apologized to WKBT and said the station’s engineers were checking the EAS equipment and working to ensure the problem doesn’t happen again.

Michaels said as far as he knows WKBT was the only station to pick up the alert, which would normally be carried by all radio and television stations broadcasting to La Crosse and surrounding counties.

WKBT’s chief engineer said the station has adjusted the filters on its EAS receiver.

The EAS is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters and other media outlets to broadcast messages from the president in the event of a national emergency. It is also used by state and local authorities to deliver emergency information such as AMBER alerts and weather warnings.

La Crosse County Emergency Management Coordinator Keith Butler said his agency sends out weekly tests that aren’t actually broadcast.

“This one went right through the system,” he said, calling it “a lesson learned for the on-the-air staff.”

Butler said a new digital system under development will be less susceptible to hacks and accidental broadcasts.

La Crosse County dispatchers said the alert did not generate any calls from the public.

Of course if it had been an actual zombie apocalypse, viewers would have been instructed where to tune in for official information.

**Frazzled**

I saw it on TV. I'll admit I did get excited. I was on my way to opening the safe with THE LIST OF PEOPLE'S BRAINS I'D DESTROY IF THEY WERE ZOMBIES before I realized it was fake.

Although a let down I had a smile on my face for the rest of the day, living the dream that was.

**AduroT**

All these false alarms and hoaxes will desensitize us into apathy for when the real zombie appocolipse occurres.

**Jayce_The_Ace**

I'm surprised that all the conspiracy theorists haven't come crawling out of the woodwork going blah...blah....something...blah....blah... cover up....blah...blah...Government.

Just a thought though, this would be a pretty cool advertising gimmick for some sort of zombie series (think Walking Dead).

**Tibbsy**

AduroT wrote:
All these false alarms and hoaxes will desensitize us into apathy for when the real zombie appocolipse occurres.

But maybe thats what they want! It's a conspiracy!

/tinfoil

EDIT: Damn, ninja'd!

**Grey Templar**

Tibbsy wrote:
AduroT wrote:
All these false alarms and hoaxes will desensitize us into apathy for when the real zombie appocolipse occurres.

But maybe thats what they want! It's a conspiracy!

/tinfoil

Yes, but they're too clever for that. So they do it anyway knowing people are on to them. Now these people know they know they're on to them. So in the end people really do get lulled into a false sense of security.

I am now selling premium liners for your tinfoil hats, made of genuine double thickness tinfoil. So you can have tinfoil on your tinfoil.

**Mattman154**

I want everyone to imagine chewing tinfoil right now.

**KingCracker**

The Zday cannot happen yet. Seriously, cannot find ammo for gak. Im getting highly annoyed!

**Desubot**

AduroT wrote:
All these false alarms and hoaxes will desensitize us into apathy for when the real zombie appocolipse occurres.

Just as planned