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SRA International, Inc. Strategy and Performance Group (formerly Touchstone Consulting Group)
We’ve been remiss in posting new articles lately, but we could not let too much time pass without commenting on the use of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system in Boston in the days after the marathon bombing. As our friend Rick Wimberly discusses on the Alerts and Notifications blog, Massachusetts state officials sent a WEA message as one way of notifying residents of Boston and its suburbs to shelter in place during the manhunt for the suspects. Continue reading »
The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) has finally released a report on the November, 2011 national test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS), entitled, “Strengthening the EAS: Lessons Learned from the Nationwide EAS Test”. While the report doesn’t reveal any great revelations on the test results that weren’t already generally known, the more important content is the action that PSHSB recommends the Commission take to improve the EAS. Continue reading »
Back in the early days of social media in emergency management (SMEM), early adopters adapted based on their favorite tools. Then the tool ended, e.g., Timely.IS. Then the scramblers, especially those who lacked a plan for social media engagement, raced to find a new tool to replace the old tool. Even others developed multiple “favorite” tools to do multiple jobs.
Is it over? No. People still are looking for tools and new tools are being developed to help with new platforms of social media.
Looking at tools today may be necessary, but only after one develops the need for using social media. This article focuses on tools that can foster and forge team building and communication. Continue reading »
As mentioned here on AWARE, changes were made in the past few months in the way abducted-child AMBER Alerts are delivered to cell phones and other mobile devices. The previous Wireless AMBER Alert Program SMS-based alerts were replaced by the new Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system. With 700,000 people having been subscribed to the previous program, a huge awareness campaign is needed to advise the public of the switch to WEA. At least one state has taken a very proactive approach on its outreach. Continue reading »
