Public Warning
Prompt and efficient public warnings of natural or manmade disasters empower citizens to take action to save lives, reduce losses, and speed recovery. A wide variety of systems exist or are under development that can deliver warnings to people at risk no matter where they are or what they are doing. What has been missing is an efficient and secure way for all authorized officials to input warnings to these delivery systems. A basic installation of such a national warning capability could have been implemented for less than $10 million since at least 2003. Here are the primary reports, which I have been involved in, that give the background, logic, and implementation details. I participated in writing the GDIN report and led the development of all but the last three PPW reports.
Report by the Disaster Information Task Force:
Harnessing Information and Technology for Disaster Management (GDIN), November 1997 PDF
Report by the Working Group on Natural Disater Information Systems (NDIS):
Effective Disaster Warnings, March 2000 Click to download PDF
Reports by the Partnership for Public Warning (PPW):
The Homeland Security Advisory System, a Report to the FBI, April 2002. PDF
Improving the Effectiveness of the Homeland Security Advisory System, July 2002 PDF
Developing a Unified All-Hazard Public Warning System, November 2002. PDF
A National Strategy for Integrated Public Warning Policy and Capability, May 2003. PDF
Accessing And Originating Warnings From Consequence Management Tools, May 2003. PDF
The Emergency Alert System (EAS): An Assessment, February 2004. PDF
Protecting America’s Communities: An Introduction to Public Alert & Warning, February 2004. PDF
Alerting America: A Directory Of Public Warning Products, Services & Technologies, October 2004. PDF
Testimony by Peter L. Ward to the House Select Committee on Homeland
Security, Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness and Response,
September 22, 2004
Some Related Reports and Websites
Emergency Communications: The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings (CRS) PDF
The Cellular Emergency Alert Systems Association (CEAS@) www
The Common Alerting Protocol www
The Community Warning System, Contra Costa County, California www
The Emergency Alert System (FCC) www