Emergency Alert System to Get New Features

Emergency Alert System to Get New Features

emergency alert system

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The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system has been helping US officials to notify communities of important happenings ever since it was introduced in 2012. Sent directly to Americans’ smartphones, the alerts can notify people of “imminent threats to safety or life,” including extreme weather, terror attacks or evacuation emergencies, while also putting the word out about wanted suspects or missing children in a specific area, according to digitaltrends.com.

Now there are improvements to be made. A forthcoming proposal by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to improve wireless emergency alerts will focus on making geographical targeting more precise so alerts can be used more effectively in local emergencies and disasters.

“When disaster strikes, it’s critical that Americans receive the information they need to stay safe,” FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai said. “During the last few months, we’ve seen that wireless emergency alerts are an important tool for quickly delivering warnings in times of emergency. Whether you are in the path of a hurricane or a wildfire, you can receive life-saving alerts on your mobile device.”

“The most important feature of this proposal is the requirement that wireless carriers participating in the Wireless Emergency Alert program deliver alerts in a more geographically targeted manner,” Pai said. “Emergency officials across America have told the FCC how important it is to better pinpoint these alerts to impacted communities.

According to homelandprepnews.com, this would encourage more local officials to use these alerts during emergencies as well as lead Americans to take more seriously the alerts they receive on their mobile devices. More precise geographic targeting should also lead to fewer people opting out of receiving WEA messages.”