New Tech Can Fill Emergency Alerting's Biggest Needs, AWARN Summit Told

Emergency alerting officials and broadcasters see information-rich messaging and increased geotargeting as their biggest needs, and are looking to ATSC 3.0 as a possible solution, said speakers at the Advance Warning and Response Network’s virtual summit Tuesday. More authorities are including links and additional information in their alerts, and that’s information that can’t be “effectively delivered” using the current emergency alert system, said Wade Witmer, deputy director of the Federal Emergency Management Association's Integrated Public Alert Warning System. Last year, there was an almost 200% increase in use of wireless emergency alerts compared with 2019, and a 135% increase in EAS use, Witmer said. Nearly every panelist said richer information and more-targeted alerts could help reduce “milling,” a response to emergency alerts identified by social scientists wherein the public tends to search for additional information and confirm details before acting. “Milling is inevitable,” said Denis Gusty, branch chief with the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate. Alerting officials said more-informative alerts from trusted sources could reduce the time gap between the public receiving emergency info and acting on it. “When you put that information in the first message, it speeds up the whole process,” said Rebecca Baudendistel, New York City Emergency Management Department director-public warning. Better-targeted alerts can cut down on alert fatigue, and make it less likely the public will opt out of receiving needed alerts, said National Weather Service Physical Scientist Michael Gerber. Technology that allows officials to limit alerting to only the most serious storms and emergency events similarly helps reduce alerting fatigue, Gerber said. ATSC 3.0 can carry more complete information, said WJLA-TV Washington meteorologist Veronica Johnson. WJLA owner Sinclair has been a big 3.0 backer. Johnson suggested 3.0 could allow viewers who want additional information about an emergency to watch it on one stream while allowing those unaffected by the emergency to continue watching their expected content. It could let emergency information be sent to gaming devices or connected cars, she said.