Notifying & Warning

First CMAS Demonstration

2010-10-16T10:44:00.005-05:00

If you haven't heard about it yet, you're going to hear about CMAS. It's the Commercial Mobile Alert System through which cell carriers will "broadcast" emergency alerts to mobile devices within a geographic area. CMAS is slated to be available for use by public safety officials in 2012...at no charge.

The first CMAS pilot is being conducted in San Diego County. It was demonstrated this past week by the San Diego Office of Emergency Services. The County is working with Sprint and the California Emergency Management Agency on the pilot. They've distributed about 100 mobile devices throughout the county that have been adapted to receive CMAS messages.

Per federal law, CMAS can be used for only three things: (1) Presidential alerts, (2) imminent threats, and (3) Amber Alerts. The carriers are to start shipping CMAS-ready mobile devices in 2012.

CMAS is one of the initiatives that fall under FEMA's IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System) program. Another that's received a good bit of attention lately is digitization of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). We've written a good bit on both programs. See an earlier post on CMAS here and ones on EAS here and here. And, we expect to write still more as these are important initiatives that will eventually touch public safety officials throughout the country. Stay tuned!

All the best,

Rick

Notifications Gone Bad

2010-10-15T04:30:00.000-05:00

A couple of recent mistakes with telephone notification systems has the general public agitated, in one case the public scattered across the country.

In one instance, a notification for Creighton University in Omaha about a possible shooting woke up people scattered around the country, some of whom probably had never heard of Creighton. A university spokeswoman said the glitch was related to the vendor Creighton uses, but didn't name the vendor.

In another recent situation Decatur, Illinois used their telephone notification system on two occasions within hours of one another to issue alerts about, first, an Alzheimer's patient, then a missing 16-year-old with medical problems. The notifications covered a five-mile radius, including area outside the city. Some residents complained that they should have not received the message. A city spokesman acknowledged that the notifications perhaps could have been confined to a more restricted area. However, he urged residents not to use the incident as a reason to ask to be removed from the notification lists.

Hard to tell what should have been done differently in the first situation. I'm sure Creighton and the vendor are working to make sure it doesn't happen again. In the second one, perhaps the city did notify an area too wide. We shouldn't second-guess. But, we do like the fact that the city spokesman was quick to say, hey, we may have over-reached...but, don't ask to be taken off the call list.

This is not a perfect science. Mishaps will occur. Better they occur by notifying too many people than not enough people. Let's learn from the mistakes, and move on.

All the best,

Rick

Emergency Notification and the Deaf Community

2010-10-11T06:07:00.001-05:00

An ongoing concern among emergency managers across the country is how to adequately alert and notify citizens with disabilities. The topic is complicated (too complex for a simple blog post). However, I do want to pass along some insight gained recently in discussions with IPAWS staff and senior leaders of the Georgia Tech Center for Advanced Communications Policy (experts on communications technologies for people with disabilities). This particular insight relates to individuals who are deaf from birth and how their communication requirements may differ.

I have to admit a certain degree of confusion and lack of understanding on this issue. Over the years, we have witnessed members of this community express a desire to have alerts pushed to recipients in video format that would feature an interpreter creating a sign-language version of the message.

In my ignorance, I wondered why text-based methods simply did not suffice (SMS, email, TDD/TTY)--particularly since pushing video to large groups of people has network implications (especially during a crisis) and a practical challenge exists in having the equipment and resources to capture "broadcast quality" video at the local emergency management level.

I've since learned that citizens who are deaf from birth process information differently from others who do not have hearing deficiencies (different even from those who have developed deficiencies over time or as a result of an injury). Sign language itself is more "conceptual" in nature--not a literal translations of all words. And, conceptual interaction typically forms the basis of communication for individuals who did not initially learn to process information through hearing. As such, communications in text form may not carry the same meaning as communications in the conceptual signing form.

Given this, it would certainly be prudent for emergency managers to investigate ways of providing alert messages in sign language forms. How can this be achieved practically? There are a couple of resources worth looking into.

First is a resource named DeafLink. This organization offers sign language interpretation to anyone interested in reaching the deaf community, including government agencies. They provide support for emergency management and first responder agencies through their Accessible Hazard Alert System (AHAS). According to its website: "In minutes after receiving authorized emergency information, Deaf Link produces an 'air ready' alert for broadcast by cable or television stations in sign language, voice and text."

A second interesting resource is Signtel. Signtel is offering a beta application that claims to be able to translate text into sign language automatically in real time. According to its website: "Users can create messages by typing text or using speech recognition. The system translates the message into Sign Language video, which can then be transmitted along with the text and voice message..."

While we do not have first-hand experience with either of these services, they certainly seem worthy of exploration. Whatever the approach, we believe emergency managers should carefully consider ways to enhance their notification programs to ensure alerts and warnings are equally accessible to everyone in the community.

Thanks to Dr. Helena Mitchell, Salimah LaForce, and Frank Lucia of Georgia Tech's Center for Advanced Communication Policy, and to Al Kenyon of FEMA IPAWS for their input.

Best regards,

Lorin

City of New York Begins Silver Alerts

2010-10-07T14:24:00.004-05:00

Today, City of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed legislation establishing a Silver Alert notification system. According to a press release by the mayor's office, more than 250,000 people within the city suffer from from Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia that contribute to people wandering away from caregivers. As such, this vulnerable population is at risk of injury or death.

With the signing of this legislation, the Police Department will be charged to develop and implement a means for sharing information about missing seniors who may be in imminent danger. Shared information will include a person's name, age, brief description, and the area where they were last seen or the description of the car they may have been driving. Public notifications will be sent through various outlets to include NotifyNYC (the city's automated notification system), television and radio, as well as hospitals, senior centers and other institutions.

We see this as a growing trend across the country and applaud New York's efforts to use emergency notification technology as a valuable life-saving tool.

Best regards,

Lorin

Interesting New Twist on Alerting Program

2010-10-04T03:00:00.000-05:00

The State of New Jersey has announced that it is "re-introducing" its public alert and warning system. "New Jersey Alert" does the typical things of services of this type: allows residents to sign up to get text message and telephone call alerts.

But, here's something rather cool we've not seen before. As residents sign up for New Jersey Alert, they can also sign up to provide professional assistance to responders. New Jersey calls it The Human Emergency Grid™.

The Grid's creator is a volunteer organization called United Alert, which used the following words to explain: "....a collaborative effort in which the general public can volunteer their professional expertise to assist responders, if needed, in the event of an emergency. The service can also be used as a social networking tool. For example many groups have already been created to promote a collaborative environment between the government, private sectors and general public."

Now, that's the type of creativity we like. It consolidates the alert and warning program with another program. What would be some other possible links to alert and warning we've not seen?

All the best,

Rick

FEMA Approves CAP 1.2

2010-09-30T06:10:00.005-05:00

FEMA has announced that it has approved the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) version 1.2. This means that industry now officially knows how to properly format CAP messages to conform to a standard that's taking hold. And, it means that emergency managers now know what standard to ask their vendors to meet so that emegency alerting messages are spoken in the same language to facilitate more diverse modes of communication.

The industry sector most focused on the CAP 1.2 standard at the moment are the vendors who make equipment that support the Emergency Alert System (EAS). FEMA, the FCC, and broadcasters are modernizing and enhancing EAS. CAP 1.2 is an integral part. With the FEMA announcement made, the FCC now starts a 180-day clock ticking for requiring broadcasters to have CAP 1.2 equipment in place. Some broadcasters and equipment makers say the CAP standard is not enough, that they need still more information before they can put new EAS equipment to work. Lisa Fowlkes of the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau today (Thursday) told radio broadcasters at the Radio Show conference that their concerns are being heard and reviewed by the FCC.

Implementation details aside, emergency managers and broadcasters should be communicating about how new EAS works and what new opportunities it presents. We know of at least at least two capital cities who are using EAS modernization as an opportunity to put new equipment in place so the local EMA will have ability to activate EAS without going through the National Weather Service or the state. Perhaps others who don't have this capability should be discussing the same. And, certainly, as we've posted before, this would be a good time for emergency management officials to sit down with their local broadcasters to talk about how they can work together toward a better informed public.

All the best,

Rick

EMA Directors and Broadcasters, Unite!

2010-09-27T04:04:00.000-05:00

We had an opportunity last week to attend a meeting between a county emergency management agency and local broadcasters in a mid-sized community in the mid-west. Over twenty members of the local Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) were there to talk about how they could work better with local emergency management. OK, let's face it. Broadcast engineers are not necessarily an exciting lot. But, in this meeting, they were getting excited.

There were a couple of things getting them excited. First, they were trying to understand new requirements surrounding the Emergency Alert System (EAS). EAS is being digitized, so the broadcasters must buy new equipment that will receive messages based on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). Before too long, FEMA will announce that it has approved the CAP 1.2 standard. Broadcasters will then have 180 days to put new equipment in place. When asked how they feel about the requirement, they slapped me around a bit and said, in effect, "it doesn't matter how we feel, we're going to do it because it's a requirement".

The second thing getting them excited, and this is really the point of the post, was the fact that the county had taken the initiative to get their opinion about the county's plans to enhance its notification program - sirens, telephone notification, etc included. This excitement was positive. They clearly appreciated the county asking for input. And, the main theme of their input was, make sure other notification technologies used by the county also follow CAP standards. They liked the idea of the same message, in the same format, being used to activate EAS and other notification tools. (Now, this is not to suggest that EAS is activated everytime the county uses their other notification tools.)

Certainly, it's not uncommon for local public safety and broadcasters to work together. But, this would be a good opportunity for emergency management and other public safety to step up engagement with broadcasters and local cable companies. The CAP requirements have them talking. So, why not seize the opportunity to sit down with them, hear their concerns, and talk about ways to better work together? Local SBE chapters are a good place to start.

All the best,

Rick

Radio Used as Backbone for Notification Test

2010-09-24T06:21:00.000-05:00

This week, Metis Secure Solutions announced the completion of a project funded by FEMA to illustrate the effectiveness of sending emergency alerts through the FM Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) method. RBDS is a U.S. radio industry standard for transmitting digital information to radio receivers. It's the technology that drives your ability to see song/artist information on a car radio, and can be used to deliver other types of data such as emergency alert messages.

There were four tests--one of them originating with the common alerting protocol (CAP) format. Each alert activated voice, text, lights and sirens (these devices are capable of receiving and interpreting the radio signal). Alert text was sent in English and Spanish, and the alert voice was activated in English, Spanish, and Korean.

Typically, mass notification systems rely on Internet protocols or mobile phone networks. It will be interesting to see what future applications emerge as this radio-oriented concept continues to gain traction.

Best regards,

Lorin

FEMA Conducting National Alert & Warning Inventory

2010-09-23T04:41:00.000-05:00

Emergency managers, don't be surprised to hear from a FEMA contractor with lots of questions about your local public alert and warning systems. FEMA is doing a nationwide inventory to find out the depth of alert and warning systems across the country. Here are some of the things you may be asked:

- What functions are your system designed to accomplish, and how often is it used?

- Who has authority to activate, and under what conditions?

- What's your system's brand and age? Are you pleased with it?

- What are the costs: maintenance, labor, utility, and training?

- Is the system accredited/certified?

- Is the system backed-up and how?

Plus, FEMA wants to know if you have public alert and warning systems that are not currently operational or cause a distraction for one reason or another. And, if you have desires for systems you don't already have, FEMA wants to know about that, too.

The survey is being conducted by a contractor for the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) program. Results will be used to help IPAWS accomplish its Congressional and Presidential mandates to provide integrated services and capabilities to state and local authorities to enable them to alert and warn communities through multiple communications methods.

At this point, the most "mature" IPAWS initiatives are digitizing the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and working toward a 2012 launch of cellular broadcast alerts through CMAS (Commercial Mobile Alert System). IPAWS has also been showing off a demo system that uses a wide array of communications methods...lots of lights flashing, and sounds blaring. (Congress is getting a demo of it this week.)

We're interested in getting comments on IPAWS, in learning more about what people know about IPAWS, and how IPAWS can do a good job of making sure the right people know about it. Feel free to contact me at rick.wimberly@galainsolutions.com or Lorin at lorin.bristow@galainsolutions.com or comment through the post.

All the best,

Rick

3 Alerting Companies Make Top Growth List

2010-09-21T17:57:00.003-05:00

Three companies that sell emergency notification solutions have made "The Inc. 5000". The Inc. 5000 is Inc. business magazine's list of the 5000 fastest growing companies in the U.S. The three companies are MIR3, Amcom, and Send Word Now.

MIR3 finished 865th with reported growth of 348%. Amcom was 895th with 336% growth. Send Word Now finished in place 1228 with 243% growth.

MIR3 and Send Word Now appear to focus primarily on the private sector, but claim government customers, too. Amcom sells lots of other public safety stuff, in addition to automated notification.

With major changes ahead for the industry, we'll be interested in seeing who finishes where next year.

All the best,

Rick

New Jersey Looking to Create a Specialized Notification Registry

2010-09-20T06:08:00.000-05:00

New Jersey is in the process of passing a bill to create a specialized emergency notification registry. The voluntary registry would be used specifically to notify family members when a person is involved in a serious automobile accident.

According to an AP article by Bruce Shipowski, the measure would allow individuals with a New Jersey driver's license or state identification card to submit the name and telephone number of an emergency contact to the Motor Vehicle Commission. If the person is seriously injured or killed in an auto accident, law enforcement personnel would use the registry to notify the emergency contact.

The measure is known as "Sara's Law," in honor of Sara Dubinin, a 19-year-old resident of Sayreville, NJ who was critically injured in an auto accident. It took responders 90 minutes to determine her identity and notify her parents. Tragically, Sara slipped into a coma en route to the hospital and never regained consciousness.

While this is not a mass notification solution of the type we typically discuss here, it will be interesting to follow nevertheless for two reasons. First, state-wide notification initiatives of various types are being considered across the country. Though limited in scope, this is another example of a state legislature recognizing the need for some form of notification system.

Second, assuming this measure passes, it will be interesting to see how the public responds to sign-ups. Convincing citizens to sign up for voluntary registries is no small feat as evidenced by notification programs across the country. However, the simplicity and focused nature of the program may compel people to participate. It's reminiscent of the "ICE (In Case of Emergency)" initiative where people are encouraged to enter emergency contact information in their mobile devices under the heading of "ICE". This idea was conceived in 2005 by an EMT in the United Kingdom and has spread virally across the globe in a relatively short amount of time.

Will this pass and be a successful statewide initiative? Only time will tell. In the meantime, the public discussion certainly helps highlight an important issue.

Best regards,

Lorin

Watch Out for Fake EAS Tones

2010-09-15T11:18:00.003-05:00

There's a radio commercial that's been airing in some markets that's accidentally setting off Emergency Alert System (EAS) alerts. The commercial by the gas company Arco uses the same tones used to activate EAS alerts.

The Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) has put its members on alert. The problem exists only in markets where the Arco commercial is airing on local radio stations and, according to the SBE, where certain equipment is used by the local stations.

SBE has posted the commercial here.

Arco is owned by BP. Now, we have to wonder, BP, don't you have enough trouble already?

All the best,

Rick

When Good Notifications Go Bad

2010-09-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Fourmile wildfire just outside of Boulder, Colorado is thankfully mostly contained as of this writing. However, discussions surrounding a partial failure of the county's emergency notification system may remain heated for some time. Just over 2600 residents did not receive emergency notification evacuation notices during the height of the wildfires.

The situation highlights a reality for emergency managers. No doubt, ENS technology is an indispensable technology for public safety. However, technologies fail and people make mistakes. So how should emergency officials respond when things don't go as planned with a notification? Here are a few tips to consider.

Have a backup plan.
Experienced emergency managers know you have to be prepared for any contingency. This holds true for notification as well. Consider the actions required if the ENS is not operational and develop response plans accordingly.

Preventing is better than fixing.
Some problems can be addressed before they arise through operator education and exercising. Consistent training and simulation is critical to keeping problems away before they start (or at least identifying problematic issues when there is no ongoing crisis with which to contend).

Don't forget to test.
Along these lines, make sure you frequently and regularly test both your systems and your procedures. We have seen agencies faithfully perform system tests, but forget to regularly evaluate internal procedures.

Keep citizens informed of problem causes and improvements.
It's never fun to be in the media cross hairs after a problem has occurred. However, it's important to be open and honest with what really happened. Accurately describing failures and communicating commitments about problem corrections will go a long way towards rebuilding trust.

From our perspective, officials in Colorado dealt with a difficult situation as well as one could hope. Everyone in the industry can learn from this event and prepare themselves should emergency notification events fail to meet expectations.

Best regards,

Lorin

Approaching Hurricane Stimulated Social Media for Alerts

2010-09-12T04:04:00.000-05:00

Morris County, New Jersey has always appeared to us as being progressive in its emergency management practices. The county took another step recently when it appeared that Hurricane Earl was threatening the area. The county launched Twitter and Facebook alerts. A handful of people signed up, but enough for the county to get enthused about it.

We're hearing more and more of this type of alerting, and we like it. But, as the local newspaper The Daily Record reported the county's web master as saying "this system is meant to augment, not replace, existing emergency notification systems." Certainly, social media won't reach everyone...but, the number of people it's reaching is growing every day. (Even my mom is on Facebook.) And, it's really not that hard to set it up. It falls in beautifully with the "systems of systems" approach where multiple modes of communication are used simultaneously to issue alerts and warnings.

Way to go, Morris County!

All the best,

Rick

Microsoft Vine, the Emergency Notification Tool, is being Shut Down

2010-09-11T09:26:00.000-05:00

Microsoft has announced it is abandoning its beta program for Vine. Vine was unveiled last mid-year as a tool for helping friends and family stay in touch during emergencies. As it was designed, it would have given individuals ability to post information that would help keep others updated during an emergency.

News feeds would have been available, such as information from local emergency managers. Facebook updates could have been used. But, mostly, it was a place where someone could post their status during an emergency so that others could check on them.

No word on why Microsoft has decided to kill Vine. But, we can't help but note that Facebook and Twitter have been creating a lot of buzz lately as tools for use in emergencies. We don't believe Microsoft's decision to shut down Vine is an indication of the public's appetite for this type of application during emergencies. Using social media for emergencies is beginning to be a way of life, ready or not.

All the best,

Rick

Emergency Management a Pawn in FM Chip Debate

2010-09-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

There's quite a broohaha underway over whether chips for receiving FM broadcasts should be added to mobile devices. Emergency management is often mentioned.

Broadcasters argue loudly that FM chips should be placed in mobile devices to help support the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and information radio stations broadcast during critical events. Broadcasters want this so badly that the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) says it will support new music royalties for broadcasters, if the FM chips become mandatory.

NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton blogged that "Arguments against this pro-consumer feature have been long on exaggeration, rhetoric, and factual inaccuracies." Then, he listed a long post to counter criticism about radio-enabled mobile devices. Public safety was prominent among his arguments. In his post, he showed a sign posted by local authorities after a tornado touched down in Alabama, saying tune to a local radio station for directions and information.

On the other side of the argument are cellular carriers and the companies that make mobile devices. They say adding FM chips will shorten battery life and make the devices heavier and more costly. Six associations, including the Consumer Electronics Association, recently sent a letter to Congress saying, “Calls for an FM chip mandate are not about public safety but are instead about propping up a business which consumers are abandoning as they avail themselves of new, more consumer-friendly options.”

This has become a heated battle, one that emergency managers will want to watch.

All the best,

Rick

Promoting Preparedness with Community Notification

2010-09-08T06:30:00.000-05:00

As most of you know, September is National Preparedness Month--a time to increase public awareness on preparing for disasters. Historically, compelling people to proactively ready themselves for bad things (particularly when no imminent threat exists) has proven to be difficult. For example, last year, the American Red Cross found in a national survey that 89% of Americans believed it was important to prepare for disasters, but only 57% said they had taken steps toward preparedness.

So how can emergency notification systems aid in citizen preparation?

Promoting preparedness with ENS.

ENS systems are powerful tools for informing citizens quickly and efficiently. As such, local agencies should consider using them to encourage citizen preparedness. While automated calls are not appropriate for imparting a great deal of detail, here is some information you may wish to communicate:

- Refer citizens to online resources such as www.ready.gov that describes items to include in preparedness kits (or better yet, refer them to your local emergency management site that includes this information).

- In addition to "hard goods" preparation such as water and flashlights, encourage the development of personal communications plans. Provide details on your website.

- Promote sign-ups for mobile devices. Make this an easily identifiable link on your preparedness web page. Even if your initial calls don't hit unregistered citizens (those with cell phones only), your message may reach them "virally" from those who do receive it.

- Encourage notification recipients to help others prepare (particularly at-risk populations such as the elderly and special needs citizens).

While the option of sending mass notifications may not be available to all emergency managers due to funding or data licensing issues, many can take advantage of this useful communications tool to remind citizens of their own role in responding to critical events. The end result is a safer, more protected population, which seems to me is the primary goal of a notification system anyway.

Best regards,

Lorin

More Mainsteam Media Attention for Alerts and Notifications

2010-09-02T12:56:00.005-05:00

For the second time in the past months, emergency notification has received a nice plug from a national business publication. Inc. magazine, which touts itself as "The Magazine for Growing Companies", cited CiviGuard in a near-front-of-the-magazine article about Gov 2.0. Inc. says Gov 2.0 brings "the virtues of the Web to government". It described CiviGuard as a "high-tech version of the old emergency broadcast system. Alerts are distributed through smartphone apps and text messages."

In its July edition, Inc. did a profile on Nixle, a notification service that allows public safety to push out text alerts at no charge.

Interesting that such a widely read "mainstream" publication that doesn't focus on public safety has written articles twice recently about an industry that serves a niche market within public safety. It's also interesting that neither CiviGuard nor Nixle have historically strong market shares in the notification industry.

Is something afoot? Perhaps so. The notification and alerting "space" is becoming increasingly important (maybe even interesting), and the big-time players in the industry may be changing. Certainly, the large cell carriers are entering the field. See our recent post on Sprint and the State of California conducting the first pilot of CMAS, the Commercial Mobile Alerting Service. If the timeframes stick, by 2012, emergency managers throughout the country should be able to provide text alerts to cell phones within a selected geographic area...at no charge...through Sprint and other carriers.

Times, they are a'changin', and people, they are a'watchin'.

All the best,

Rick

ENS and Protecting First Responders

2010-08-28T10:10:00.001-05:00

Much has been said about the benefits of emergency notification for ensuring public safety. As Rick and I attend the Fire Rescue International Show in Chicago, however, it occurs to us how little has been said about the benefits of emergency notification for first responder safety. Here are a few thoughts on how ENS provides for a safer responder environment:

Reduced panic.
At times, we hear concerns from emergency managers that mass calling will incite panic among citizens making the situation worse while placing first responders in even greater danger. Though one can imagine certain limited scenarios where this might be the case, empirical research and years of practical system usage by agencies across the country do not support this fear. Instead, clear information provides some measure of comfort to citizens, reducing panic and irrational behavior while creating a safer environment for responders.

Reduced threats.
Danger criminal behavior may occur both during and after critical events such as a disaster. One of the interesting findings post-Katrina was looting and rioting (perhaps more limited in frequency than portrayed in the media) occurred with more frequency several days into the crisis; a key driving factor behind the behavior was uncertainty and a lack of communication on when conditions would change. While analogies aren't perfect here as notification systems did not have power or infrastructure to work immediately after this disaster, the principal nevertheless remains. Poor or no information can lead to erratic and dangerous citizen behavior placing first responders in greater harm.

Appropriate public response.
A study on the San Diego wildfires of 2007 (covered previously in our blog) examined the impact of emergency notification on citizen behavior. A key finding emerged: people who received an alert were more likely to follow evacuation instructions than those who did not. Citizens following these types of instructions create a safer environment for responders, particularly in diminishing problems with access and egress.

Intelligence & situational awareness.
A final way emergency notification technology provides safety for first responders is in the knowledge gained from citizens as a result of an alert. Many examples exist of responder agencies issuing alerts and citizens calling back to identify the whereabouts of a criminal or provide other useful information. As knowledge is power, such intelligence allows for a better prepared response and a less risky operation (at least to some degree).

While ENS is clearly a significant tool for protecting local citizens, it is also a tool for protecting the protectors. With an effective notification program, everyone wins.

Best regards,

Lorin

Galain Solutions, Inc. helps public safety agencies develop effective emergency notification programs. For more information, email: info@galainsolutions.com.

First CMAS Pilot Announced

2010-08-25T10:52:00.003-05:00

The Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) could be a game changer for notifications, alerts, and warnings. CMAS is a program under FEMA's IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System) through which cell carriers will deliver emergency messages for local, state, and federal authorities via cell broadcast. In effect, public safety officials would have ability to activate, first, text messages to cell phones within a specific geographic area. Later, voice messaging would be added. CMAS would be used for by the feds for Presidential messages, and could be used by locals for imminent threats and Amber Alerts. Cell carriers aren't required to participate in CMAS, but most will. If they don't, an FCC rule requires them to let subscribers out of their contracts.

CMAS is to be fully deployed by 2012. Sprint beat the other carriers to the punch by announcing its first CMAS pilot this week. The pilot will be in San Diego County through a Sprint partnership with the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services and the California Emergency Management Agency. The pilot is scheduled to launch this fall.

Sprint customers in San Diego County won't automatically be able to receive the alerts, even when the pilot begins. Mobile devices will need technology embedded to receive the messages, and most devices don't have it yet. Regardless, announcement of the pilot is progress. We'll all be watching.

For more on the announcement, see the article in Government Technology here.

All the best,

Rick

Flood Alert Comments Filed

2010-08-22T12:56:00.004-05:00

When the Army Corps of Engineers issued its after-action report on the May floods in Middle Tennessee, it cited significant communications challenges. Could those challenges have been overcome with a good automated notification solution? We believe so, and said so when we were asked to file an official comment on the after-action report. (See after-action report here, and Galain's comments here.) Perhaps, there are lessons for others.

The after-action report said when the rains first appeared to threaten significant flooding, Army Corps personnel failed to respond to Corps commander's initial email about flooding potential. The report said delays resulted in "slower communications up the chain of command regarding the potential severity of the event". The emails were not raid, the report said, "perhaps from an overload of emails in inboxes".

No doubt many of you are wondering if email is really how the Corps communicates. Well, apparently so, according to the after-action report. In our response, we said, "While email can be an effective way of communicating certain information, it is a poor way of disseminating critical information that requires immediate action". Clearly, an automated notification system would have helped. The Corps' after-action report said they would start using "telephonic notifications". We said good move, but encouraged the Corps to look beyond simply using telephonic notifications. Instead, adopt a system that automates the phone process and uses other modes of communication as well.

The Corps also noted significant challenges in communications with the public. The Corps said it really doesn't have responsibility for notifying the public; that's responsibility of the National Weather Service. Yet, the report cited several significant public notification challenge.

Corps personnel “fielded numerous phone calls from the public during the flood event requesting information on the extent of flooding expected in their area.”

“With minimum personnel available the calls diverted staff time away from developing and implementing reservoir system operations plans.”

“This event occurred over the weekend, when limited personnel were in the District office to handle communications with the public.”

So, even if the Corps doesn't have "official" responsibility, they've clearly got a problem on their hands. The public wasn't well-informed and, whether the Corps was ready or not, the public turned to the Corps for information.

In our response, we didn't suggest that the Corps take over responsibility for informing the public in a significant flood event. However, we did encourage the Corps to take an active role in supporting a strong public notification program. They need to consider themselves a partner in such, roll up their sleeves, and get involved in any initiatives to improve the public alerting situation...including supporting a modernized Emergency Alert System in Tennessee.

Despite the very serious flood event, the middle Tennessee area was, well, lucky. Communications could have been much worse. For the most part, power was not interrupted. Had it been, which is common occurrence in flooding, the situation would have been much worse.

Let's all learn from the Corps. They may have not a number of things right, but they're being open about their challenges and seem genuinely interested in doing better next time...and, there will be a next time.

All the best,

Rick

How Will Social Media be Utilized in a Crisis?

2010-08-17T06:31:00.001-05:00

How will citizens utilize social media in a crisis? The answers may surprise you.

While many view Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites simply as hobbies for "wired" young people, evidence is surfacing showing how social networks are becoming important tools and considerations for both citizens and responders during a crisis situation.

Douglas Idugboe makes this point in a blog post covering social media trends. He highlights a study just released by the American Red Cross entitled "Social Media in Disasters and Emergencies." The findings were released ahead of Thursday's Emergency Social Data Summit in Washington, D.C.

The online survey of just over 1000 Americans 18 years and older examined a representative sample of the U.S. population. Findings from the study include:

One in six have used social media to get information about an emergency
About half of respondents would sign up for emails, text alerts, or applications to receive emergency information such as location of food, evacuation routes, etc. (presumably during an event as we know sign up rates are not that high typically)
About half say they would mention an emergency through their own social media channels
Just over half say they would send a text message to an available response agency if someone they knew needed help (implications for the NG9-1-1 discussion)
During an emergency, almost half would use social media to let loved ones know they are safe. The vast majority (86%) of these would use Facebook to accomplish this.
Almost 70% say response agencies should regularly monitor their sites and respond to postings for help

As expected, younger people are more likely to request help from social media or text messaging. Only 39 percent of people over the age of 35 say they would ask other people on networks such as Facebook to help them get assistance, whereas 55 percent of people aged 18 to 34 say they would. However, in some areas, older and younger apparently agree. 18% say they would use digital media to ask for help in an emergency if they could not reach 9-1-1.

Though online behaviors in response to public warnings were not examined specifically in this study, we can nevertheless imagine how social media plays a role. Clearly, citizens expect to use these information channels to validate and enhance their knowledge of a situation. And, an increasing number expect to be able to interact with responders through them. Though still in its early stages, social media should be a growing consideration for emergency managers across the country.

Best regards,

Lorin

Galain Solutions, Inc. helps public safety agencies develop effective emergency notification programs. For more information, email: info@galainsolutions.com.

Another State Takes on Silver Alerts

2010-08-15T03:35:00.000-05:00

Add Massachusetts to the list of states that have expanded their Amber Alerts to include Silver Alerts. Now, when a senior citizen with memory loss, such as Alzheimer's is missing, authorities can engage the community to help find the senior through special alerts.

The Springfield Republican newspaper wrote: “I think it’s going to be wonderful,” said Janet Rodriguez-Denny, director of Elder Affairs in Springfield. “It’s another resource families can have to help care for their families.” Rodriguez-Denny said the Springfield Police Department has always been helpful in such cases, and this new system will be especially useful if an elder wanders into a neighboring town. “Society is very mobile these days,” she said. “This is going to reassure families.”

Finding Alzheimer's "walk offs" has long been a popular use for automated notification systems. Back in the day when we were first introducing the automated notification concept to officials, their eyes lit up when we told them stories of the technology being used to find seniors. (Politicians liked hearing the stories, too.)

Other states are considering Silver Alerts, and we suspect eventually, most will adopt them.

All the best,

Rick

OASIS Announces Approval of Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) 1.2

2010-08-12T16:07:00.007-05:00

The OASIS open standards consortium announced today they have officially approved the Emergency Data Exchange Language (EDXL) Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) version 1.2. CAP 1.2 is now an official OASIS standard.

EDXL-CAP is a standard protocol for structuring an alert message, enabling various types of warning systems to issue the same message simultaneously. It is designed to work with a wide variety of alerting media, including broadcast, mobile devices, email, etc. It is also an integral technology standard within FEMA's IPAWS program. The new release offers support for digital signatures, enhancing message security and authentication.

According to the press release, CAP will be featured in the OASIS demo booth at the IAEM show, October 28 - November 4 in San Antonio.

Best regards,

Lorin

Are Sirens Really Worth the Investment?

2010-08-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Wall Street Journal recently featured an article on the public warning siren system in San Francisco. It seems the city has 104 sirens in the area and has invested approximately $500,000 over the last two years to expand the network. The problem, according to the author, is in the six decades these sirens have been in place, they have never been used for warning the public.

The article raises questions many emergency mangers face as they evaluate what to implement with regards to public warning systems. No one in public safety wants to waste taxpayer dollars, yet the public expects to be protected in a crisis. What is a conscientious emergency manager to do?

We don't have all the answers, but here are a few thoughts that come to mind after reading the article.

We must prepare for events that may not happen. Emergency managers are trained to deal with and prepare for the unthinkable. You've all received training and developed contingency plans you hope will never actually be needed. Sure the public may have a hard time understanding why money is spent on systems that have not been used in decades. However, under the right circumstances these sirens could save lives and property. The public certainly expects every effort will be made to protect them in a crisis, and systems like this may help achieve this goal.

"Contextual" alerts may work best for methods such as sirens. The challenge of traditional sirens is no content on the nature of the alert is conveyed during an alert. Loud tones do not convey anything specifically and it is easy for the public to ignore the warnings (in San Francisco's case, the sirens actually function as a public address system, though this is frequently not the case across the country). According to the article:

"When a siren goes off, instead of panicking or seeking out more information most people tend to behave with indifference and assume that the siren went off at the wrong time," says Dennis Mileti, director emeritus of the Natural Hazards Center at Colorado State University."

I haven't seen the research on this, but I suspect sirens dedicated to a specific type of alert (contextual alert) will be more effective than a generic "all hazards" alert. In our part of the country, for example, tornadoes are fairly frequent weather events. Our town has sirens in place activated when a tornado warning is issued. People are aware of these and know to tune to media when they go off (unless it's a beautiful sunny day when they're testing them). These are known locally as "tornado sirens" and are taken rather seriously. If these sirens were not tied to this specific emergency situation, I believe their effectiveness would be diminished.

No one notification method works universally. Every form of public notification has its unique strengths and weaknesses. No single method will reach everyone. As such, emergency managers need to deploy multiple methods and systems for alerting the public. In San Francisco's case, they have mobile device alerting, they interact with the media, and the sirens are not simply tone-alerts, but also double as public address systems. Some are appropriate for almost daily use, others will be reserved only for the most dire circumstances. Good notification programs include a variety of methods to insure as wide a coverage as possible.

The article on San Francisco's sirens highlights a clear challenge of balancing investment versus preparation. What are your thoughts and experiences dealing with sirens and trade-offs between investments in the various alerting options? We'd love to hear from you.

Best regards,

Lorin

Galain Solutions, Inc. provides consulting services for public safety agencies selecting and implementing emergency notification systems. For more information, email: info@galainsolutions.com.

City to Use Emergency Notification System for Sexual Predator Alerts

2010-08-11T03:53:00.000-05:00

The Florida city of Cape Coral (population 160,000 plus) has decided to stop sending out mailed sexual predator notifications. Instead, Cape Coral will be using their automated telephone notification system to notify residents when sexual predators move about in the area.

The City Council unanimously voted to take the step, saying they would save money and be able to get the notices out more quickly as sexual predators move from one place to the other. The News-Press article quoted interim Police Chief Jay Murphy as saying, "Offenders move and law-abiding people move into their former houses. The innocent residents sometimes are mistaken for an offender and may be harassed by their neighbors because of the long delay between mailings."

Cape Coral uses a hosted telephone notification system with large capacity, so shouldn't have problems getting emergency alerts outs when a sexual predator notification is issued. We suppose people could complain about using the emergency alert system for this purpose, but it seems that the more the system is used for important purposes such as this, the better off all will be.

All the best,

Rick

Questions about IPAWS

2010-08-07T07:15:00.002-05:00

In a recent webinar, the chief engineer for FEMA's Integrated Public Alerts and Warnings System (IPAWS) took questions from emergency management practitioners about the IPAWS program. The questions asked Mark Lucero were interesting. But, what was perhaps more interesting were the questions Lucero asked the practitioners. Some examples:

- Should warning authority be limited by geography? (Most of the webinar participants said "yes".)

- Should warning authority be limited by severity? (Most said "no".)

- Should warning authority be limited by method of dissemination? Examples given were Emergency Alert System, National Weather Service, and Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS). (Most said "no limits.)

- Should the message originator have the option of choosing the method of dissemination? (Most said "yes".)

- Should university officials have direct access to IPAWS? (This one was pretty evenly split between yeses and nos.)

- Should regional, multi-agency coordination agencies have direct access to IPAWS? (Most said "yes".)

- Should a state agency be required to submit state or local emergency alert plan as a condition of IPAWS participation? (Most said "yes".)

- Should agencies be required to submit an IPAWS Implementation Plan, Standard Operating Procedure, or Warning Annex? (Most said "yes".)

- Should third party systems be required to demonstrate Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) compliance? (Most said "yes".)

About fifty people voted during a webinar conducted by FEMA's Disaster Management Program. Lucero's presentation about IPAWS can be found here. A recording of the webinar can be found about half-way down the page of the Disaster Management Special Interest web page. The recording includes presentation slides and the on-line poll (including results).

The poll may not have included a large group, but it showed the types of questions IPAWS is asking as the national alerting program FEMA is modernizing and expanding matures. These questions emergency management practitioners and alert and warning industry should be pondering.

All the best,

Rick

IPAWS Standards of Practice

2010-08-02T03:00:00.001-05:00

Public safety professionals interested in learning more about how the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) program will work may want to tune in to a webinar this week. FEMA engineer Mark Lucero will talk about issues related to developing the IPAWS Standards of Practice for message originators. Message orginators? That's you, public safety official.

When IPAWS matures, local public safety officials should be able to access IPAWS and originate messages through a number of methods and modes including commercial vendors, cellular broadcast, and the Emergency Alert System. Presumably, Mr. Lucero will talk about the latest efforts.

The webinar will be held Wednesday, August 4th. The best way to access it is to go to the FEMA Disaster Management web site and follow the link to sign-up for the Public Safety Officials practitioner email list. And, if you miss it, the Disaster Management web site usually archives their webinars.

We hope Mr. Lucero will also discuss how local officials can provide input into how message origination will work.

All the best,

Rick

Congressional Hearing Hears Warning Concerns

2010-07-30T04:20:00.000-05:00

A senior National Weather Service official last week told a Congressional sub-committee that "dramatic improvement" is needed in the way flood information is communicated. Gary Carter, Director of Hydrologic Development of the National Weather Service said, "This really needs to be moved to a whole new level...where when we update a precipitation forecast, every one of our partners and the public see it instantly."

Carter was called before Congress to testify about the recent Nashville-area floods and concerns that flood warnings were issued too late, and not communicated well. Among others testifying to the Appropriations Sub-Committee of Energy and Water Development was the head of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce who said hundreds of millions of dollars of damage could have been avoided, had warnings been issued and communicated sooner.

Nashville area Congressman Jim Cooper was sharply critical of The Army Corps of Engineers. He told the hearing that the Corps after-action report was “putting a cheerful face on some really ugly facts. The Corps admits to no less than 27 categories of problems with their performance during the 2010 flood, so it’s hard to see how the Corps can give itself any kind of passing grade.”

Whit Adamson, President of the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, asked for Congressional support for funding for modernization of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in Tennessee. He said the upgrades required by the FCC and FEMA are "very expensive". Broadcasters, he said, need help with equipment purchases and funding for EAS training. In his written testimony, he pitched a statewide notification program that would span beyond EAS into telephone, text, and other alerting means. (Full disclosure: Galain is one of the co-authors of the plan.)

As we posted earlier, we saw the floods up close since we live in the Nashville area. We know first-hand how earlier and more effective warnings would have helped. It's pretty clear in this situation that there was a break-down in communications between the feds as the flood waters approached. The after-action report makes that clear. Local officials and FEMA have received high marks for their response. The community rallied. However, there are holes in the state's alert and warning system that need to be plugged.

All the best,

Rick

Emergency Notification AFTER the Emergency

2010-07-28T08:29:00.005-05:00

A short, but insightful online comment by a New England resident serves as a good reminder for emergency managers to use ENS both during and after a crisis.

Two weeks ago, a county's water department issued a boil water notice due to elevated levels of e-coli discovered in one of the ground water sources. A boil water notice was issued and a public alert was launched through the county's emergency notification system.

After several days, water samples revealed no presence of e-coli and the boil water notice was rescinded. However, it appears the county did not launch an automated callout to notify citizens the event was over (at least according to one citizen's comments). While the county certainly did nothing wrong in general, the story highlights a best practice in alerting: post-event notifications.

As a critical event emerges and people face imminent danger, launching a notification is an obvious decision. However, as the danger passes and other emergency management duties take over, the urgency of sending alerts after the event may mistakenly diminish.

While there are plenty of other valid channels for issuing post-event information (press releases, media, web page, etc.), we believe the means used for informing the public initially creates expectations for how emergency managers will communicate throughout a given situation. Thus, residents who receive an automated telephone call warning them of potential danger also expect to receive through the system periodic updates and an "all clear" signal when it's over.

ENS is really about communicating and not just warning. Keep this in mind, and your citizens will thank you from beginning to end.

Best regards,

Lorin

Galain Solutions, Inc. provides consulting services for public safety agencies selecting and implementing emergency notification systems. For more information, email: info@galainsolutions.com.

The Death of Telephone Notifications?

2010-07-23T06:30:00.001-05:00

Recently, Rick and I had a conversation with an emergency manager who, though not responsible for public alerting, had some strong opinions about it. Primarily, he believed the days of telephone call notifications were gone--that SMS or email was the only real viable means of alerting people in a crisis at this point. His main concerned stemmed from capacity--the ability to make a large number of calls quickly. Further, he had been burned by vendors who overstated their actual call handling capabilities (and the capacity of local phone switches) causing him to conclude this method was fundamentally flawed.

While we understand his overall frustrations and greatly respect his perspective, we do not believe telephone notifications have gone the way of the dinosaur. Here are a few reasons why we believe new methods and technologies are not yet ready to place the telephone call:

Large segments of the population still do not use SMS or email.
The market penetration of SMS and email is high and continues to grow. However, large groups of people still do not rely on these technologies with regularity. Managing a notification program with no method for reaching land line telephones will bypass a significant portion of local citizens.

Geographic targeting is often desired.
Most critical situations have a geographic element to them, and generally, emergency managers need to deliver specific alerts to targeted areas. As email and SMS data are not tied to geography, targeting alerts is impossible (unless a citizen has signed up for the alert and/or downloaded a mobile application). The exception is cellular broadcast technology which will help mitigate this problem but is not currently available on a widespread basis in the U.S. (more on this in the future).

SMS and email have capacity issues as well.
Though vendor and local telephone switch capacities should be a concern, we should not lull ourselves into thinking network limitations do not exist for digital messages (or cellular messages for that matter). Research conducted by Dr. Patrick Traynor at the Georgia Institute of Technology a couple of years ago illustrates this well, as do our own conversations with cellular carriers who have expressed deep concerns about SMS/email capacity limitations.

The human voice element can be important.
In research conducted by behavioral scientists, voice alerts have been shown to produce greater compliance than textual alerts alone (actually the greatest compliance comes from presenting both textual and voice alerts). This potentially illustrates the benefit of receiving information in an audible form from a human voice (or at least one that sounds human in the case of text-to-speech).

In all, we believe there is no one right answer for alerting the public. A successful notification program must encompass a variety of methods and devices to ensure alerts get through. Further, the impact of any method on the local communications infrastructure should be considered before a widespread notification is issued.

What do you think? Can we forget about telephone notifications and move to other technologies altogether? We'd love to hear from you. Oh, and you can use the telephone to call us if you'd like. We'll still answer it.

Best regards,

Lorin

Community Fuming Over Late-Night Missing Child Notification

2010-07-21T04:00:00.000-05:00

A 14-year autistic boy was missing in Middletown, Connecticut a few days ago. At about 11:30 p.m. that night, police used its automated calling system to call the town's residents to seek info about the boy's whereabouts. The next day, Acting Deputy Police Chief Gregory Sneed said he got about 40 calls with people complaining about being awoken late at night. Of course, Chief Sneed is standing behind his decision to make the calls.

It's certainly not the first time people have complained about receiving such calls. But, here's what's interesting to me. When the article about the complaining was published in The Middletown Press newspaper, the paper's on-line comment forum lit up like a light. When I last checked it, there were well more than 40 people blasting the complainers!

Now, I wouldn't say this is a scientific study...but, I have a high level of confidence in stating that if the people of Middletown were polled, the vote would be overwhelmingly in favor of the calls being made.

By the way, the boy was found safely shortly after the calls went out.

Way to go Chief Sneed!

All the best,

Rick

Flood Warning Hearing This Week

2010-07-18T21:38:00.000-05:00

As an aftermath of the nasty floods in Nashville, authorities are asking questions about how well warning systems work. Some residents and businesses are saying, had they known earlier how severe the situation was going to be, they could have done more to contain the damage.

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) is among those asking questions. He has announced hearings for July 22 in DC before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. Among the things Senator Alexander says he wants to find out is whether new technology is required or could existing technology be used better.

In addition to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Weather Service, and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters (TAB)will be represented. The TAB will likely talk about the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and how it could be improved. EAS is slated for digitization in Tennessee and around the country, which means broadcasters and alert activators will need new equipment. The State of New Jersey recently announced it would help broadcasters there buy the equipment. Generally speaking, broadcasters have been asking for help...at least more time. (See our blog on the topic.)

Senator Alexander is comparing flood warnings to tornado warnings. He says the alliance between broadcasters and the National Weather Service is designed to provide warnings of tornadoes within fifteen minutes of arriving. He says, "I suspect we can do a lot better in transmitting reliable, speeding information about floods." He says flooding is more of a problem than tornadoes, saying "three out of four federally-declared disasters during the last five years have involved flooding."

Senator Alexander intends to stream the 9: 30 am July 22nd hearing on his web site.

All the best,

Rick

Nixle's "Elevator Pitch"

2010-07-16T04:34:00.000-05:00

We wrote not long ago a post about Nixle, the notification tool that public safety agencies use at no charge to push out text notifications. In our post, we pondered how they make money.

Well, flipping through Inc. magazine this month, we find an article that sheds some light. Nixle is not making money. In fact, the article says Nixle generated no revenue last year, and is trying to raise 7.5-million-dollars from investors. In the "elevator pitch" in Inc., Nixle says that, along with offering the free service to law enforcement and other public safety, it intends to use its "secure text messaging platform" to charge businesses a fee to send messages to their customers.

Several investment experts weighed in. Mostly they said Nixle needs to show how they're going to get lots of small businesses to pay for the service in large enough mass to make money.

Meantime, the Nixle public safety customer base grows. According to Inc., there are now nearly 4,000 agencies using Nixle including Los Angeles and Chicago police departments.

Whether Nixle can make money and survive remains to be seen, but having 4,000 agencies using Nixle is no small feat. It's difficult to get agencies to adopt a program, even when it's free.

All the best,

Rick

Is IPAWS an International Program

2010-07-13T04:57:00.000-05:00

Is IPAWS an international program? Well, Grandpa Ham thinks so. Grandpa Ham is Gary Ham, although he seems to like to call himself Grandpa. (I guess I'll feel the same when my kids start re-producing. Hint. Hint.). Gary has been a vocal voice for Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), the open standard for notifications to be used for, among other things, the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). IPAWS is a federal program in the United States. Gary, though, thinks the program can be used internationally, as he told a multi-national conference in Canada recently.

In his presentation to the World Conference on Disaster Management in Toronto, Gary said that testing and planning has been done with IPAWS concepts involving both Canadian and U.S. organizations. Makes sense. Because of the nature of the program, there's no need for IPAWS to be a U.S. only program.

Grandpa Ham says the key is there's an "open playing field" for developers of commercial software who have alerting authority customers to build applications to fit into the IPAWS framework. He said IPAWS provides authentication and other facets, but doesn't try to control the user interface. He said as long as standards are met, any type of software might be connected to IPAWS.

You can download Gary's presentation to the conference at his web site at http://grandpaham.com/

All the best,

Rick

New Jersey State Police Will Procure New Statewide EAS

2010-07-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

According to the New Jersey Broadcasters Association (NJBA), the New Jersey State Police has agreed to proceed with the procurement of technology for replacing the aging emergency alert system across the state. Old analog hardware will be replaced with new, redundant digital equipment.

As discussed in our previous post, this move comes ahead of an upcoming nationwide push by the FCC and FEMA to replace antiquated EAS hardware currently managed by radio and television broadcast stations with fully digital equipment.

EAS is first and foremost a method for issuing Presidential alerts in the event of a national emergency. However, these systems can also be accessed by Governors or authorized local public safety agencies in the event of eminent threats or AMBER alerts.

Though the mandate for making the switch has yet to be issued, broadcasters across the country have expressed concern with the cost implications and proposed timetables (the broadcasters will be required to bear the cost as a requirement for maintaining an FCC license unless other funding sources arise). It appears as if New Jersey has taken the lead in figuring out how to get funding to support the stations' efforts.

NJBA President Paul Rotella said, “We are particularly gratified by the very earnest work of our dedicated law enforcement community, including our State Police, Office of Emergency Management and the Governor’s office and legislature in recognizing this urgent public safety need in our state”.

All the best,

Lorin

Another State Moves Closer to Statewide Notifications

2010-07-09T12:46:00.004-05:00

The Governor of New Hampshire has signed a law that will create a statewide notification program. The Governor's press release predicts the system will be functioning by the end of the year.

We applaud the effort, but as previously posted, we're wondering if the program is broad enough. It only covers telephone notification. We think reaching people by telephone is a good way to notify, but only one of the good ways to notify. Multiple modes work best. With only $600,000 authorized for the statewide program, perhaps telephone is all they can afford.

A couple of other things strike us:

What's the community outreach program going to look like? It becomes more clear every day that a strong outreach program is esstential for a successful alerting and warning program, particularly since success nowadays depends upon citizens indicating which communication mode they want to use.

And, we wonder if New Hampshire has plans to develop the system so that it ties into the national notification framework FEMA is developing (IPAWS: Integrated Public Alert and Warning System).

Don't get us wrong. We like what New Hampshire is doing. In fact, we'd like to see more names among the small number of states who've either implemented or actively working toward statewide notification initiatives. We just hope they'll work hard to address the issues that have evolved since the state first start working on this initiative several years ago.

All the best,

Rick

Radio and Notifications

2010-07-08T04:57:00.000-05:00

As people argue over the best means for receiving notifications, radio is picking up a head of steam in a number of formats. We're not talking about radio formats in the sense of Country, Pop, News/Talk, or Acid Rock/Gospel. We're talking about different means of using radio signals for issuing alerts.

Broadcast radio, the kind with the cool different formats, will soon undergo a change in the emergency notifications field when the Emergency Alert System (EAS) is modernized. Radio stations will install new digital receivers that are compliant with the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). This should make broadcast radio more interactive with other types of notification modes.

Meantime, there's weather radio - devices that broadcast weather info from the National Weather Service. Weather radio got a nice plug recently in an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper. Local emergency management director Bill Turner of Campbell County was quoted as saying, "A tone-alert weather radio is one of the fastest and reliable means of obtaining weather information." He was responding to a bit of a controversy in the area about use of sirens - some people complaining they can't hear them when they're in their homes. Turner says sirens are intended to alert people who are outside; the fact that sometimes people in their homes can hear them is a bonus.

There's a third type of radio picking up speed. These are systems that use radio frequencies to delivery emergency notifications to special receivers. As of July 4th, residents within the Montecito Fire District in Santa Barbara County (CA) can purchase $90 radio devices to receive a variety of types of emergency notifications, mostly fires. The District is reacting to the Montecito Tea Fire wildfires which destroyed 210 homes in 2008. The District looked at several means of notifications like sirens and telephone, and decided the special radio receivers were the best way to go.

All the best,

Rick

Texas Builds Database for Emergency Notifications for Deaf and Blind

2010-07-07T04:12:00.000-05:00

The State of Texas is encouraging deaf, hard-of-hearing, and sight impaired to sign up to receive emergency alerts. The notifications can use a number of languages, including American Sign Language and Braille. Devices that can be tapped include email, text-enabled cell phones, and devices that have been Braille-enabled.

The program is called The Accessible Hazard Alert System, offered by the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). With hurricane season beginning, DARS is trying to get the word out about the service. People with disabilities can sign up through a service called DeafLink. They can also sign up in advance to receive transportation assistance should a hurricane threaten.

All the best,

Rick

Emergency Notification Program For Pets

2010-07-05T07:50:00.002-05:00

Yes, you read that right. There's a new emergency notification service for pets. Well, it's not for notifying pets, but for notifications regarding pets when an emergency occurs.

The company Pets Guardian launched the service. Here's how it works. If, say, emergency medical technicians respond to a call and residents are taken away, the EMTs will have a number to call to activate the notification system. It will then call friends or family pre-designated by the pet owners, instructing them to come get the pets. Signs would be posted around the house, providing the number and instruction to responders.

Or, if a subscriber wants, it can receive a daily check-in from Pets Guardian to confirm that the pet is OK.

The founders say they created the system when one of their buddies didn't respond as requested to a call to take care of a pet. Their backup plan back-fired, they say.

Well, what will they think of next?

All the best,

Rick

UASI Conference Reviewed

2010-06-29T07:10:00.004-05:00

Lorin and I recently spent several days at the conference of the Urban Area Securities Initiative (UASI), the consortiums of public safety officials in large metropolitan areas. We had a chance to talk to quite a few emergency managers about quite a few things. Invariably, the conversations would turn to notifications, alerts, and warnings. Here's a bit of what we were hearing:

- The challenge of getting telephone numbers for residents continues to hamper phone alerting efforts. News about the upcoming Commercial Mobile Alert System (C-MAS) was welcomed (particularly when they heard the price). (See our post on CMAS here.)

- Text messages sent in volume don't seem to be getting to their intended recipients fast enough. The emergency managers who mentioned this topic seemed to welcome knowing of the distinction between most text delivery messages systems and ones that have special relationships with carriers for priority messaging.

- Digitization of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) seemed welcomed, but many weren't aware of the timetable for implementation. Per our post here, the clock starts ticking soon for broadcasters to upgrade their EAS equipment.

- Consolidation of data was mentioned often, as it related to alerts and notifications and otherwise. Over the years, UASIs and their members have purchased a lot of systems, including notification systems. The systems don't always work together, and the UASIs are looking for solutions. (We heard this a lot, a good thing since we were there on behalf of a systems integrator client.)

- Most we spoke with were generally aware of the federal Integrated Public Alert Warning System (IPAWS). (At least they knew what it was when reminded what the IPAWS initials stand for.) However, most we spoke with on this topic didn't have a good handle on what it means to them.

Of course, these comments came in random conversations…not a real study.

The UASI conference was a particularly strong one, not only for UASI conferences, but compared to the many other conferences we've attended. Program content was excellent. Logistics and accommodations worked well. It was good to be back in New Orleans. The food was superb. So were the people.

We had a chance to visit with our fellow Emergency Management magazine blogger Eric Holdeman, who I noticed scooped us on the UASI report. If you don't follow Eric's blog, Disaster Zone, you should. He posts often, and always has good content. A nice visit, too, with Marty Pastula, the vice president over Emergency Management magazine. He and his crew continue to do an excellent job, recognized by, not only people in the emergency management field, but his publishing peers. Marty is a true pro, and a wonderful person. We're proud to be associated with him.

All the best,

Rick

Shoulds Alerts and Warnings Vendors be Threatened by IPAWS

2010-06-25T04:36:00.000-05:00

With FEMA under Presidential Executive Order to develop an "effective, reliable, integrated, flexible, and comprehensive system to alert and warn the American people", private companies active in the space must be asking, "Hey, will that put me out of business?" Others are asking, "Hmm, I wonder if I can sell FEMA something?" These are a pretty good questions considering the Executive Order takes FEMA beyond its historical responsibility of Presidential alerting only.

Well, the answer to both questions is probably "No".

Although FEMA intends to help stand up a modernized, comprehensive national alerting system through their IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System) program, they're really planning to build a framework for others to hook in to...which can include private companies. The head of FEMA's National Continuity Programs Directorate, Damon Penn, likens IPAWS to the iPhone. Vendors will be able to build IPAWS apps, just like vendors build iPhone apps.

Of course, there will be rules to follow, just as there are rules for developing iPhone apps. In the IPAWS case, many of those rules have yet to be developed. The most mature rules are the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and technical specifications for the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS). The latest version of CAP is expected to be approved by FEMA in the coming months. Once that happens, participants in the Emergency Alert System (EAS), mostly broadcasters, will need to update their equipment so it will work through IPAWS. Meantime, cable carriers are using the approved technical specifications to equip mobile devices to handle cell broadcast alerts through IPAWS.

Vendors who supply other types of alerts and warnings (land line telephone, sirens, texting, email, radio, network, etc) can follow the same path. Same is true of vendors involved with emerging means of alerting and warning (i.e. social media). They can also "build apps" for hooking into IPAWS.

So, no, IPAWS shouldn't put alert and warning vendors out of business. In fact, IPAWS could represent a market opportunity for vendors to shine and deliver value to customers. They'll need to pay attention, get engaged in the process, and follow the rules.

All the best,

Rick

Way to go Comcast!

2010-06-23T11:04:00.000-05:00

No, we're not being facetious. Hats off to Comcast for comments about an alert recently made in Utah. Witnesses reported they saw two men pick up an eight-year-old girl in West Valley City near Salt Lake City. Others corrobulated the reports. An Amber Alert was issued.

As it turns out, it was a false alarm. So, some residents were aggitated, particularly those who were watching the NBA Finals on Comcast. The game broadcast had been interupted several times, including during the crucial final minutes.

About the complaints Comcast said, in effect, "tough!" (my word, not theirs). KSL-TV quoted Comcast spokesman Ray Child as saying, "[We] completely understand that it's an inconvenience to our customers. A child's safety is potentially at risk; it's worth the inconvenience". Way to go, Ray!

Of course, local police were criticized, too. But, they said they followed procedure for authorizing an Amber Alert - one of the criteria being reports that a child had been abducted.

There are always people who're going to complain about alert interruptions (although surely they're in the minority). Good for Comcast and local police for publically sticking up for something that could have been important to an eight-year-old's safety.

All the best,

Rick

Emergency Alerting Problem in Bay Area

2010-06-21T03:42:00.001-05:00

A plume of smoke released by a refinery near San Francisco caused a bit of stir recently, not because of danger, but because it pointed out a failing of the local emergency notification system.

According to the Mercury News, the plume release was intentional and not dangerous. Not aware, the local fire chief activated local emergency alerting procedures. The mis-alert was caught within an hour, and an all-clear was issued. Not a big deal, you may think.

Here's the problem: one of the key components of the alerting system in Benicia, CA didn't work. The local public information radio station should have broadcast the alert, but it didn't. The Mercury News said that confused local residents. They heard sirens, but didn't know what they were about. When they tuned to 1610AM, as they normally would, they got no infomation.

Since there was really no threat, this represents a good opportunity for the community to take a look at their alerting programs, which we're sure they're doing. While they're figuring out what to do locally, we can take a few lessons:

- Residents will want to confirm why they're hearing sirens blaring.
- No single means of communications covers all.
- Test, test, test.
- When something goes wrong, it very likely will be in the news.

All the best, and good luck Benicia.

Rick

Sirens Win Weather Channel Poll

2010-06-17T18:30:00.000-05:00

OK, it's not scientific and the sampling size is small, but it's interesting that sirens won the vote when the Weather Channel's question of the day recently asked, "If there was a tornado warning in your area, would you rather have a siren or telephone call alert you of the danger?" 22 respondents voted for sirens and six voted for telephone calls.

What's perhaps even more interesting is the "write-in" vote. Although the Weather Channel didn't make this a vote option, 17 people sounded off that they wanted both a siren and telephone call to alert them. You can find a link to the Weather Channel poll conducted through Facebook here.

One of the interesting things about the poll was the passion with which opinions were expressed. One respondent would adamantly state telephone call, and the next would state siren...both with good reason.

The bottom line is nothing new, different people prefer different alert methods. If you're going to alert people in a critical event, you must use multiple modes. If you don't believe it, just ask Weather Channel viewers.

All the best,

Rick

Emergency Alert System Checkpoint

2010-06-17T17:40:00.005-05:00

There's a good bit swirling around these days on the Emergency Alert System (EAS). A recent workshop provided a nice forum for airing some of the issues and concerns.

Some of the most vocal concerns came from broadcasters attending the FEMA-FCC EAS workshop recently. The broadcasters generally accept the fact they need to replace their EAS equipment with digital equipment that facilitates the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), the single language for transmitting messages. However, they don't like the time pressure. When the latest version of CAP is approved and authorized in the next couple of months or so, they'll have 180-days to replace their equipment.

Kelly Williams of the National Association of Broadcasters told workshop participants that 180 days is not enough time for 30,000 EAS participants to get equipment in place, particularly when there are only eight manufacturers. And, these manufacturers can't start selling until they are certified for CAP compliance by a FEMA laboratory. The laboratory says it's ready to start certifying, just waiting for the green light. Broadcasters say, still, not enough time.

A couple of people at the workshop also said the short window is going to make it tough to train people, both broadcasters and message originators, on how to use the new technology.

Good questions came from Henry Black of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. He was most concerned about the practical and operational aspects, like training, messaging, and the ever-important question about authority to activate. Who's going to have it? This will be even more important when the IPAWS program launches add-ons to EAS such a cellular broadcast alerting. (Yes, it's coming.)

Meantime, work is underway for a national exercise of the EAS system, something that's never been done before. FEMA and the FCC are shooting for some time in the first half of 2011 for the test. Antwane Johnson, Director of the IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System) program for FEMA, told the workshop that outreach will be a big part of the test effort. Not only will operators need to know what to do, the public will need to know what not to do. Imagine the panic that could develop when an EAS message, much stronger than the monthly tests people are accustomed to (and probably immune to), is issued across the country. Local public safety officials will need to pitch in to make sure their communities know about the test.

Look for a good bit of dialogue in the coming months on Henry's questions and the nationwide EAS exercise. IPAWS can be an important element of public safety, and if you get a chance, make your opinions known about how it should work.

All the best,

Rick

Should ENS be Used Only in Emergencies?

2010-06-14T07:00:00.001-05:00

Should "emergency" notification systems be used only in actual emergencies?

It appears there are differing opinions on this issue among ENS managers across the country. In a recent nationwide study we conducted of more than 400 notification system decision-makers, 58% said they use their systems for "emergency situations only" while 42% said they use it for "emergency, urgent, and non-emergency situations equally." Clearly, two camps exist with regards to appropriate ENS usage.

For those in the "emergency only" camp, there is often a fear by managers that frequent use will desensitize citizens to alerts. If the public receives regular, routine messages through the notification system, according to the theory, people may ignore alerts when a real crisis exists. Also, the E911 data used to populate these systems may not legally be applicable for non-emergency situations--another possible factor.

For those in the "emergency and non-emergency" camp, there is a belief that more liberal use provides citizens with greater familiarity and deeper comfort in interacting with the system. It also serves as a highly visible connection point between citizens and first responder agencies, creating a sense of community involvement and trust.

I suppose we lean toward the latter camp. In all our years of involvement in ENS, the most memorable and innovative notification programs tended toward a greater frequency of use. In these agencies, systems and procedures are exercised regularly and users are often better trained. This leads to greater confidence and fewer mistakes. Further, citizens appreciate the system, feeling local public safety agencies are proactive and "on the ball."

There is one caveat here, however. As a citizen, I don't mind receiving frequent communications as long as the information is highly relevant to me. Flooding me with frivolous or poorly targeted information will annoy and frustrate me (I don't really want to hear about the citizen watch meeting being held in a community on the other side of the county). So, even though we support using ENS for non-emergency purposes, we recommend these alerts be well targeted and highly relevant.

What do you think? We'd love to hear from you on this topic no matter your philosophical leanings.

All the best,

Lorin

For a copy of a white paper highlighting results from this study funded by Blackboard Connect, click here.

Out of the Box Emergency Notification

2010-06-09T03:59:00.001-05:00

With expectations rising over how alerting and warning systems perform, need also rises to think "out of the box". Consider "the box" a notification product, a solution that performs alerts, warnings, and notifications through one or more communications modes - say telephones, texting, sirens, broadcast, social media, internal networks, digital signage, or whatever. These products normally do a fine job of their intended purpose. However, that's often not enough these days to make sure the right people get the right information at the right time.

What if you think out of the box and link these systems to other systems? No genius required to figure out how these products would work better if they are connected to other products, say, an incident management tool. If you've operated an alerting product, particularly while a critical event was unfolding, you've likely thought, "Wouldn't it be nice if...?" While it's pretty easy to see how these links would make a big difference, there are challenges to making the connections really happen.

Enter the systems integrator. This is a company that knows how to take disparate systems and make them work together. There are special skills involved, and particular processes to follow. The process begins by developing a real understanding of the problems to be solved. Then, technical expertise comes into play for design. Design includes a number of elements including architecture, functionality, speed, usability, data management, and evolving technology. Then, the systems integrator starts building the box outside the box.

Beyond the technical challenge, there's the ever-present cost challenge. The cost of systems integration can range from being ridiculously inexpensive for value returned to being ridiculously expensive. Among contributing factors is whether the product ("the box") was built to accommodate links. Before buying, it's a good idea to ask a vendor if their product has an API. That's an "application program interface", a fancy name for saying the vendor has made the keys available to gettting data into and out of their product. A good systems integrator can work around a product that has no API, but having one helps.

The key is to think out of the box. Don't think it can't be done because it hasn't been done...even if the vendor who sold it to you doesn't know how to do it. Making and selling products is one discipline. Integrating products is another. We've not seen a lot of examples of companies doing both well.

So, don't complain about the limitations and think, "Wouldn't it be nice...?". Get someone who can help you. Find out what the real cost and return will be. Qualified systems integrators are out there, and if you can't find them, we know some good ones.

You may be surprised at how easy it is to make a strong business case and receive funding for a systems integration project.

All the best,

Rick

(You can request a copy of our guidance for writing good business cases at info@galainsolutions.com.)

Deadline for Signing up for Federal Alerting Workshop

2010-06-07T04:00:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow (Tuesday, June 8th) is the deadline for signing up for a FEMA/FCC-sponsored workshop on the myriad of things working toward a more modern national alerting system. They'll talk about the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), the coming national cell alerting program, a new digitized Emergency Alert System (EAS), and of course, the ever-popular Common Alerting Protocol (CAP).

Emergency managers and other public safety officials should be interested. The workshop will be held in DC Thursday, June 10th. (You can register at here.) If you can't be there, you can listen in by going to another FCC web site. (No registration necessary for just listening.) Or, you can learn more about the workshop, and the initiative as a whole, through a blog post by Lisa Fowlkes, Deputy Bureau Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau of the FCC.

A couple of panel sessions will be held:

- The Path to Next Generation Alerting
- Leveraging Broadband to Truly Effect Public Alerting and Warning

Both, rather interesting topics.

There's a lot going on in the arena of notifications and alerts, perhaps more than many people realize. This would be a good way to help get up to speed.

All the best,

Rick

A Check Point for Our 2010 Top 10 Predictions

2010-06-05T04:00:00.000-05:00

We continue to be amazed (and pleased) with the response to our first-of-the-year post where we made 10 predictions for alerts and notifications for 2010. The post continues to be viewed often. So, as we approach the mid-year point, we thought we ought to check ourselves to see how we're doing. So far, pretty good...although we probably need to keep our day jobs and not become fortune tellers (or stock traders). Here's our report card:

1. "Move from proprietary, stand-alone systems to highly-integrated systems." The concept is catching on. More people embrace it. A good example is the City of Philadelphia recently winning an award for their integrated notification solution. The award was The Emergency Management Digital Distinction Award given by Center for Digital Government and Emergency Management magazine.

2. "Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) will continue to take hold." We wouldn't say CAP has taken hold yet, but certainly awareness is growing. Anticipated approval soon by FEMA of CAP version 1.2 will help, as well as first of tests conducted by the new laboratory stood up to test vendor products for compliance. (See our post, "Common Alerting Protocol Seal of Approval".)

3. "IPAWS will become more visible." If emergency management and public safety officials don't know about FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, it's not because IPAWS isn't trying. IPAWS representatives are showing up regularly at trade shows and other events to explain their vision and plans for an enhanced national alerting system.

4. "New industry leaders will begin to emerge." No real evidence to support this prediction. However, while helping a state agency build a short list of potential notification vendors, we were impressed with some of the demos we saw - including from a couple of companies we didn't know before. We'd still, however, like to see more impressive new concepts announced by industry.

5. "A highly-visible failure will occur." We're glad we haven't been right about this one...so far. Unfortunately, we're confident this prediction will come true...sooner or later.

6. "Growth in the use of social media for alerts and warnings." Since the first of the year, we've seen a number of communities announce plans to start posting emergency information on social media.

7. "Further commoditization of notifications including 'free services'". At least we figured out what makes one of the more visible of the "free services" tick. Well, perhaps we didn't figure it out. They told us. See our post, "Solving the Mystery of Nixle".

8. "More procurements for independent help." We've seen a few. For example, one capital city county we're aware of has notified a consulting company that they've been awarded a contract to analyze the county's mix of notification systems and make recommendations. (Full disclosure: our company, Galain, is a sub-contractor on the project.) Others are brewing.

9. "More patent lawsuits." We may have been wrong on this one. As far as we know, none has been filed beyond ones we reported on last year.

10. "Other large-scale systems announced." With funds so tight, few new initiatives have been announced. But, we know first-hand of several initiatives developing in large cities and states.

So, we'll give ourselves a B, maybe B-, for our mid-year report card. If we've been too kind in our self-evaluation, let us know.

By the way, this represents our 100th post for Emergency Management magazine. We're most appreciative of this opportunity. We're also pleased that this forum has helped our understanding of what's going on. In addition to making us stop and think for a few minutes here and there, we're given good feedback from the people who follow the blog. We thank you!

All the best,

Rick

Accurate GIS Data for Emergency Notifications

2010-06-02T01:00:00.000-05:00

In the next few years, it's highly likely that local emergency managers and other public safety officials will be able to activate a cell broadcast that will deliver emergency notifications to many cell phones in the area. The new capability will come through the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) being developed by FEMA, the FCC, and cell carriers. (See our recent posts here and here.) Projected launch: 2012.

Meantime, successful telephone alerts and notifications are reliant upon collecting good telephone data...emphasis on the "good". There's a wide range of collection efforts beginning with simply buying a "phone book" database to a "managed" approach. The best managed approaches we've seen involve "9-1-1" data supplemented by phone book data supplemented by citizen registrations supplemented by a process that regularly updates data from multiple sources.

A new white paper from InfoCode shows a significant disparity between the phone book data and, well, reality...not only through missing numbers, but in accuracy of info used to associate numbers with proper points on a map. The company conducted a sampling of several areas, and found phone book numbers were plotted 3, even 5, miles from their real location. (Not good in an emergency.) This occurred in 10% of their samples. Then, of course, there's a significant number of numbers that don't show up in the phone books...even before you take into consideration cell numbers that don't show up anywhere. The InfoCode white paper can be found here. (In the interest of full disclosure, we advised InfoCode on the paper.)

There are many telephone notification systems across the country that use phone book data only, and no doubt, this is better than nothing. But, as the public expects more information faster, phone book data alone just won't cut it anymore. There are certainly steps that can be taken to get much better notification data. Most importantly, it takes an organization willing to make the investment of resources to do it right.

It's kind of like Lorin's recent post on public outreach (Doing it Right: Engaging Citizens in a Notification Program), and our repeated posts on a systems-of-systems approach. This is not simple stuff. Being prepared to notify and alert the public is no small undertaking, and getting more complex every day. Let's understand the complexities, educate the people with the purse-strings, and address the complexities head on.

All the best,

Rick

The Challenge of Multi-lingual Alerts and Warnings

2010-05-28T04:10:00.000-05:00

Rare is the community in the US these days that doesn't have residents who either don't speak English, or speak it poorly. Emergency managers and other public safety officials struggle with making sure critical messages are understood by all, including people with disabilities. Many notification systems don't have ability to deliver messages in multiple languages or in ways to accommodate special needs and, if they do, use is often awkward.

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is challenged in the same way. Most EAS messages, like those monthly tests heard on almost all radio and TV stations, are broadcast only in English.

The National Association of Broadcasters recently asked the FCC to "refrain from adopting mandatory requirements on the format or content of EAS messages". Instead, the NAB said "voluntary programs created by state and local officials, broadcasters and other interested parties are the preferred and practical approach". The NAB was referring to a project in Florida where EAS messages from the state level are delivered in multiple languages. At this point, messages from the federal level orginiate in English only. It would be impractical, says the NAB, for a mechanism to be placed into action that would require translation of EAS messages down the chain from originator (say, the President).

Delivering emergency messages so that all can understand is not a new problem, but it's one that's likely getting worse as US populations grow of non-English speaking and people with disabilities. We're not sure of the exact answer, but suspect it lies somewhere in that system-of-systems approach we keep harping on. Perhaps EAS remains an English-only system, or is multi-lingual when locals work together to make it so. Fine, as long as other systems come into the mainstream that fill the notification gaps.

All the best,

Rick

The Perfect Storm

2010-05-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

Some people have been saying the recent Tennessee floods were result of "the perfect storm". Many things lined up to make this a particularly troublesome flood. We live just south of Nashville and, while our home was spared, over 100 families in our neighborhood weren't so lucky. (If consulting and blogging don't work out, I now have a fall-back career of removing duct work from crawl spaces.)

It's been gut-wrenching to see the damage, and to hear that stories from our neighborhood are not isolated. However, many of the stories people are talking about are positive. For the most part, middle Tennessee rallied. Emergency response efforts were strong. Volunteerism made the state truly worthy of its moniker of "The Volunteer State". And, believe it our not, many people are talking about how responsive FEMA has been. FEMA housing inspectors were out in force quickly. Relief checks arrived much faster than expected. The FEMA buzz is positive. In fact, most of the buzz is positive...despite the damage and hardships.

As proud as we Tennesseans are of our response to the floods, we had a lot of luck working for us. For example, it's somewhat of a fluke that few of us lost power for any significant amount of time. Our house on a hill was one of a few in the neighborhood to lose power. It's an eerie sight to see homes down the street, evacuated, with several feet of water in them and all of the lights on.

Because power outages were not widespread, we were able to watch local TV. Our local TV stations did a good job keeping us informed, even though they were having trouble getting from place-to-place because of flooded roads. For the most part, cable service was uninterrupted, no small feat since the local cable company's main facility was right in the path of the flood. Were it not for sandbags and a determined cable company, we could have easily experienced widespread cable outages.

Not so important for us to keep our HBO and cooking channels in service during an emergency, you may think. Well, think again. How many people receive their local TV stations through the cable, and don't know how to pick them up through the airwaves when cable is out...particularly since digital TV has come? And, what if the peak of the floods happened after we were asleep, instead of during the Kentucky Derby when so many of us were watching TV? What would have awakened us and told us our homes were about to be flooded so we could try to move belongings to the second floor before we were ordered to evacuate?

So, one of the things that concerns me is that we have potential to be lulled into complacency by our pride in our response. This was one heckuva flood, many would say the worst disaster to hit the area...ever. But, we're strutting our stuff about how well we're doing. Next time, though, we could easily lose access to TV, our mainstay of information. Instead of rallying, we could easily feel isolation and helplessness that others in similar situations have felt.

Don't get me wrong. We're a hardy and resourceful lot in middle Tennessee. We've made this our home for over 25 years by design. We love it here. But, in this particular disaster, we've also been a lucky lot. I hope we'll shore up our emergency alerting and communications capabilities so next time something major happens, we'll again be able to strut our stuff about how well we've responded.

All the best,

Rick

Doing it Right: Engaging Citizens in a Notification Program

2010-05-25T07:00:00.002-05:00

For ENS managers across the country, one of the biggest challenges is convincing local citizens to actively engage in the alerts and warnings program. In many cases, the notification data itself is dependent on citizen input making stimulating awareness (and action) even more important.

AlertSCC: A Great Example

One of the best examples we've seen of a local government promoting its notification program is in Santa Clara County, California. It is currently implementing a comprehensive marketing plan to educate citizens on its "AlertSCC" program. The ultimate goal is to encourage the public to register for notifications through its online portal.

The county is deploying local television, radio, and print ads to spread the word. Produced by Oakland, CA-based communications firm CirclePoint, these ads are not your typical boring PSAs, but are instead produced with humor and creativity to attract and motivate audiences. The campaign shuns a direct "fear-based" approach, instead tapping into personal relationships and everyday people with a slogan of "I love you, please sign up" according to Eddie Kurtz of CirclePoint.

In addition, the County is working on a soon-to-be-released viral campaign--a portal that allows individuals to upload their own pictures into these ads and send to friends and family. They are also managing a Facebook page with informational updates and links to these ads. Other methods are being deployed as well, including outreach efforts to specific community organizations within the county.

See the ads here on the AlertSCC Facebook page.

Funding for AlertSCC Campaign

Funding for this extensive campaign came from two sources according to Gwen Mitchell, Director of the Office of Public Affairs in Santa Clara county. The City of San Jose received a UASI grant for $250,000 that was applied to the effort, and the County matched this amount from its operating budget (total of $500,000).

Advice to ENS Managers

What advice would Gwen give to emergency managers regarding public outreach efforts?

First, don't ask them to do too much. "One thing our research showed, is even though people know it is important to take steps to prepare, they don’t do it. I think it is important they be given messages with which they can take immediate action. For instance, signing up for this only takes a few minutes. It’s a step they can take right now. I think that kind of messaging is effective, not a list of 20 things."

Second,use frequent, multiple means of getting the message out. "Communicate often, especially if they are in areas where there is potential for disaster."

Third, center the message on the audience and don't be afraid of creativity. "Target populations where they may not be able to receive the message through mainstream media. You have to be creative and really think about this issue in very broad ways to reach as many people as possible."

It is too early in the campaign to tell whether the time and resources applied here will generate the results Santa Clara County desires. However, we applaud the effort to pair investments in notification technology with investments in community education. The outcome is likely to be a safer more informed community.

All the best,

Lorin

Should Local Emergency Managers be Allowed to Activate EAS?

2010-05-24T16:30:00.000-05:00

Not a new debate is the one over exactly who should be able to activate the Emergency Alert System (EAS). Hardly anyone disagrees that the President of the United States should be able to activate EAS (although none ever has). And, most agree that governors should be able to execute EAS alerts. But, what about the local level?

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), for one, is not keen on the idea of local emergency managers having ability to, in effect, take over the airwaves to make an announcement. In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission last week, NAB reiterated its position that emergency messages (other than those from the President) should come only from a gubernatorial designate and only under certain conditions. The NAB said, "multiple sources of alerts may lead to audience confusion or desensitization to emergency alerts". This presents a dilemma, since some people argue that emergency alerting is a local responsibility, not a state one, not a federal one.

In the same filing with the FCC, the NAB asked again for the commission to limit cable TV overrides for EAS alerts - those non-graphic, text-only messages that pop up on cable telvision. Broadcasters complain that these alerts override local programming at a point where local stations may already be providing important information about the emergency at hand. Instead, says the NAB, cable companies should be forced to "selectively" override. In others words, interrupt the channels that don't carry broadcast TV. In some markets, "selective override" is negotiated, with the FCC's blessings, between local broadcast and cable operators.

There's more. The NAB also expressed concern about talk about requiring that EAS messages be in multiple languages. But, more on that later this week.

In this post, we're just touching the surface. There are many legitimate considerations and debates going on about how to best notify the public through EAS. We just hope that local emergency managers, broadcasters, and other "communities of interest" are paying close attention. And, by all means, speak up (like the NAB did in its filings with the FCC). We believe the debate, even controversy, is born out of a real desire to make ours a better informed and prepared nation.

All the best,

Rick

Broadcasters Want More Time to Update Emergency Alert System

2010-05-21T07:15:00.002-05:00

There's a lot going on toward federally mandated update of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). This summer, FEMA will likely adopt Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) standards new digital equipment must use. A new standards-testing laboratory has been stood up. (See our earlier post.) FEMA, the FCC, and broadcast stations have plans in place for updating and adding Primary Entry Points (PEP), the broadcast stations that serve as the backbone of EAS. An EAS workshop was just announced by the FCC and FEMA. A national EAS exercise is in the works.

However, some broadcasters are concerned. They're not sure they'll have enough time to meet their deadlines. In comments filed with the FCC this week, the National Association of Broadcasters asked the feds to consider funding EAS training programs. NAB also said broadcasters, particularly in smaller communities, may have a tough time coming up with the money to buy the new equipment. At least, they want more time.

Once CAP standards are officially adopted, a 180-day window opens for broadcasters to have the new equipment in place. First, though, vendors must have their equipment CAP-certified by a new laboratory. Testing can't begin until CAP is adopted. Besides, says the NAB to the FCC, some stations and other EAS participants (schools and other public institutions) may not have money in their budgets for a mid-year expenditure. The NAB is not asking for a major change in the requirements, just more time.

Moving forward as fast as possible to update EAS is a good thing. The system is way overdue for overhaul, but the NAB has a good point. Having spent much of my teenaged years in a small radio station in rural Georgia, I can imagine the consternation over spending several thousand dollars on a new piece equipment that doesn't generate revenue. And, way back then, the radio business was more healthy. It seems to me that broadcasters generally welcome their role in EAS, even in these days when money is tighter and many stations don't employ as many people as they did back in the day. A larger window may make sense.

All the best,

Rick

People will trust but verify emergency notifications

2010-05-17T10:30:00.000-05:00

Two recent studies have shown that, when it comes to emergency notifications, the public won't likely take action unless they receive their directions from at least two sources. It's kind of like Ronald Reagan used to say, "Trust, but verify."

The most recent confirmation comes from research from Georgia Tech on emergency notification preferences of people with disabilities. (See our earlier post.) A study by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC) was designed to determine preferences for wireless devices for emergency notifications. But, an off-shoot of the research was a finding that, regardless of the initial form of notification, a secondary form was necessary before action would be taken.

When Oak Ridge National Laboratories conducted a FEMA-financed study on evacuations during the San Diego wildfires, they found that residents generally wouldn't leave their homes until they had received confirmation from a second source. (See our earlier post on the study.) In the case of the San Diego wildfires, most people got their first evacuation notice from an automated telephone call. However, they generally sought confirmation from television news before evacuating. Others received confirmation from family members or acquaintances.

Anecdotally, we can confirm the need to confirm. Our home area (middle Tennessee) has recently gone through serious floods and many tornado watches and warnings. We experienced first-hand the need to get alerts from more than one source before evacuating our homes or taking cover.

Although independent, both studies (not just our personal experience) confirmed the need to use multiple forms of notifications - besides the fact that different people get information from different sources. Once again, we make the point that a system of systems is the way to go. (Browse our earlier posts for a lot of of information and insight on making a system of systems a reality, or request a copy of our white paper on the topic at info@galainsolutions.com.)

Thank-you Wireless RERC and Oak Ridge National Laboratories for confirmation of the need to confirm.

All the best,

Rick

Webinar Explores New Nationwide Study on ENS

2010-05-12T07:22:00.000-05:00

Fewer topics in emergency management have received more attention over the past few years than emergency or mass notification. Yet, we in the industry have had no real understanding of just how widespread its use is today, and what factors are most important to public safety officials for overall success and end-user satisfaction.

Until now, that is.

We are pleased to announce that we've just completed a research effort that is believed to be the most comprehensive study of its kind focused on alerts and warnings. Sponsored by Blackboard Connect and conducted by our company, Galain Solutions, the research project examines selected perceptions and responses of more than 400 local notification managers nationwide.

We'd like to share some of the results with you if you're interested, and we invite you to attend a free webinar we're conducting on Tuesday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m. EDT.

Hosted by Blackboard Connect, and entitled "The State of Emergency Notification: Local Government Emergency Notification Practices" the webinar will cover questions such as:

• What are the top three things local agencies look for from a notification provider?
• How many local governments have a notification system?
• What is the most popular technology deployment option for these systems?
• For what purposes are other agencies using their systems?
• How frequently are systems being used?
• And more.

You can register at www.blackboardconnect.com by clicking on the link under "Upcoming Webinars".

We think you'll find the webinar helpful and informative and hope to see you there.

All the best,

Lorin

Volunteer Mobilization--Thoughts from a Disaster Area

2010-05-07T12:35:00.006-05:00

The extensive flooding last weekend in our area of Nashville, TN has been devastating in terms of life and property. Weekend storms dumped an unprecedented thirteen inches of rain in just 48 hours. Nineteen deaths have been reported from the storm so far in Tennessee. Untold millions of dollars in property damage has accrued (most involving people with no flood insurance as they were not in a historical flood plain). On the plus side, emergency managers, first responders, utility workers, political leaders and others have been highly praised for their heroic efforts and untiring service in the response and recovery process.

Another group has also emerged during this crisis that we believe deserves praise and consideration--citizen volunteers. As we've been involved in our hometown's cleanup efforts, we've been humbled and amazed at the turnout of ordinary people helping fellow neighbors in difficult times. We've also seen trained volunteers, people who serve on various public safety organizations and committees, rise to the occasion as key support to the professional responders.
How does this relate to alerts and warnings?

Many times, we think of notification technology as strictly a tool for disseminating information to a large group of citizens in harm's way (evacuations, boil water notices, etc.). This is certainly a fantastic use of the tool. However, we should not forget the technology is also valuable for MOBILIZING citizens, potentially key partners in any large-scale response effort.

LAFD as an Example
Ron Corona, of the Los Angeles Fire Department, agrees. He says LAFD stands ready to use their notification system for calling up any number of volunteer groups. One set of groups is the city's Crisis Response Teams. These teams include a wide variety of professionals who have unique skills needed in a crisis (grief counselors, medical practitioners, construction/demolition experts, etc.). They also use the system to bring together their Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)--civilians trained in disciplines such as urban search and rescue, mass casualties, etc.

Even in non-critical, planned events such as festivals and concerts, the system is used for locating people with needed skills not necessarily on the government payroll.

How They Work
In general, these systems allow you to capture volunteer contact information (multiple devices) and collect customizable information on skill sets (training certifications, competencies, etc.). Through proper querying, you can select appropriate team members to fit the circumstance on the fly, or, have the teams pre-built for quick activation.

Some systems have the ability to ask questions such as, "Can you respond?" and "What is your ETA?" allowing for feedback through the telephone touch-tone keypad, or through email or SMS. All of this activity is captured in a database for real-time or after-the-fact reporting.

Notification technology is certainly a useful means for alerting citizens in danger (perhaps the first thing to come to mind when considering these systems). However, it can also be a valuable tool for mobilizing citizens--a powerfully positive force during disasters such as the one experienced across the Southeast this week.

Here's a personal "thank you" to the many dedicated emergency personnel who have helped during this tragedy. Also, here's a big shout out to the average men and women who have shown what it means to be real "citizens."

All the best,

Lorin

Volunteer Mobilization--Thoughts from a Disaster Area

2010-05-04T15:06:00.009-05:00

Emergency Alerts Through Wireless Score High with People with Disabilities

2010-04-30T06:59:00.004-05:00

A group at Georgia Tech recently released a report saying people with disabilities strongly favor use of wireless devices for receiving emergency alerts. Results were compelling, with percentages in the high 80s and 90s.

The researchers sought to emulate Emergency Alert System (EAS) alerts. EAS tones and announcements were simulated using custom software to make them more accessible to people with various disabilities. Also, URL references for additional information were included, just as EAS announcements refer viewers and listeners to other sources for additional information. Those expressing an improvement over their current alerting methods were in the 80%+ and 90%+ ranges, depending on the nature of the disability.

Although still high, enthusiasm fell off a bit when the researchers used parameters planned for the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS), the program that will give federal, state, and local public safety officials ability to notify geographic areas via cellular broadcast. The Messages were text-only. Length was limited. No URL references were used. (See our post on CMAS here.)

The "Wireless Emergency Communications Project" was conducted by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (also known as "Wireless RERC"). The project was funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education. They surveyed blind and/or low vision and deaf or hard-of-hearing communities. Some had high-levels of experience with wireless devices. Others had little. Some use special software for people with disabilities. Others use standard devices like Blackberries. (A presentation on the study can be found in the Resources section of the Galain Solutions web site.)

The project leaders know of what they speak. In addition to their association with Wireless RERC, Helena Mitchell and Frank Lucia were on the team at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that turned the old Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) into the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the early nineties. Their research should get the attention of government and industry people working to modernize EAS again, put CMAS into place, and expand federally-supported notifications through IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System).

In addition to enthusiasm for emergency alerts through wireless devices by people with disabilities, the survey also confirmed another compelling fact that will be of special interest to professionals and industry involved with emergency alerting. Sorry, but we're going to save that for another post soon.

By the way, thanks to Salimah LaForce, the Information Analyst who worked on the project. She's been following our blog, and brought this important study to our attention. We appreciate it, Salimah!

All the best,

Rick

Common Alerting Protocol Seal of Approval

2010-04-26T04:22:00.000-05:00

As the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) gains momentum as a standard for emergency messages, a laboratory is being stood up to test vendor products for CAP compliance. Vendors now have a place where they can put their products through independent testing to gain bragging rights for "certified" CAP compliance. And, emergency management professionals and other buyers will have independent certification that products they buy are truly CAP compliant.

Financed by FEMA under the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) program, the IPAWS CAP Conformity Assessment (CA) program is operated under contract to Eastern Kentucky University. Chad Foster runs the lab. He tells us they are first focusing on testing hardware necessary to make the broadcast-centric Emergency Alert System (EAS) work digitally. So, these vendors will get priority for now. However, other types of emergency notification vendors can start the wheels rolling for the certification process.

Vendors may want to do so soon. Besides marketing benefits of being among the first to win CAP certification, FEMA has agreed to temporarily pay fees for vendors to go through the certification process. Vendors will have to pay their expenses, and the "free fee" offer will likely expire at some point. Also, we suspect a backlog could develop, as the program matures and more public safety officials insist on CAP certification from their vendors.

The Conformity Assessment Program is in the "development stage", says Foster. That will change in the coming months when the latest version of CAP, version 1.2, is approved by FEMA. Then, after EKU works out any kinks to the program in the first year, other laboratories could be approved by FEMA to conduct testing for certification. With Congress and FEMA envisioning that the IPAWS program will be expanded much beyond EAS, all types of technologies could go through the testing. (Think broadcast, telephone notification, cellular, texting, satellite radio and TV, social media, even gaming devices.)

As Congress and FEMA see it, there would be a federally-operated aggregation engine to manage IPAWS messaging. State and local public safety officials could use IPAWS to notify the public of threatening events in targeted areas. Without certification, systems would not be allowed to hook into the federal system. So, public safety officials will be motivated to make sure vendors they use for their local systems can be part of the national system.

The conformity program is publishing a "pilot" web site. It's a work-in-progress, but we've been given permission to publish the site address. You can find it at www.nimssc.org/ipawsconform.

So, the race is about to begin. We look forward to finding out who's the first to receive the CAP "Seal of Approval".

All the best,

Rick

Addressing Special Needs in Your Emergency Notification Program

2010-04-23T04:00:00.000-05:00

Any notification/alerts/warnings program, particularly for delivering messages to the general public, must include provisions for special needs individuals. The special needs community has not been totally neglected as government has built warning programs, but execution has been weak at best. For example, many telephone notification solutions do not really have a clean means for providing alerts and warnings to TTY and TDD devices for the vision-impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, mobility challenged and individuals with a speech disability.

For the most part, the systems require special lists of telephone numbers be developed for the devices. These lists are not readily available. In some cases, the special needs community is expected to “sign up” to receive notifications. While signing up may help increase delivery to special needs individuals, such strategies fall short of developing complete lists.

A system-of-systems approach helps make special needs notifications/alerts/warnings more practical. Where one system may fall short, another system may fill the gap. The flexibility offered would make it less challenging to create initiatives and programs to truly satisfy special needs.

In 2004, President Bush signed an Executive Order seeking to fully integrate people with disabilities into the national emergency preparedness effort by creating an Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities (ICC). The Order directs the federal government to address the safety and security needs of people with disabilities arising from emergency situations including natural and man-made disasters. A combined team of the US Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), which chairs the ICC, and disability subject matter experts conducted an intensive review of the 2006 DHS Nationwide Emergency Plan.

Findings and conclusions regarding communication/public information include a statement saying “public information associated with emergencies must be in accessible formats for persons with disabilities. This assistance should address all aspects of communication, including emergency notification and instructions”.

In response to these findings DHS and FEMA announced the interim release of the Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 301 (CPG-301): Emergency Management Planning Guide for Special Needs Populations in August 2008, developed jointly by FEMA and the CRCL. CPG-301 is designed to aid tribal, state, territorial and local governments in planning for individuals with special needs during an emergency. The interim guide reflects extensive input from key federal, state, and local government partners, along with nongovernmental organizations representing special needs communities.

Note: Excerpted from Galain Solutions, Inc. white paper, "Notifications, Alerts, Warnings: The Next Generation". For a copy, please send a request to info@galainsolutions.com.

Hosted VS On-Site Emergency Notification

2010-04-19T04:00:00.000-05:00

What's better, a hosted notification solution subscription or an on-site solution purchase? We've heard this debate hundreds of times over the years…although, we're clearly hearing it less often. Public safety organizations are increasingly open to allowing a vendor to host their notification solution. Some vendors have done a good job offering hosted functionality, capacity, support, value and, last but not least, tight security.

The buy-in is not universal, though. Some organizations still insist on owning the equipment, and maintaining 100% control within their walls. We were in a public safety client meeting the other day where, despite our repeated suggestion that the organization at least consider hosted, the answer was no, no, no. (We finally got the message.) They weren't wrong, although their firm position makes our job of developing a short list of vendors who can meet their needs more difficult; there are far fewer on-site solutions available than hosted. The client simply has a firm policy against using any hosted solution that houses sensitive data, such as staff personal telephone numbers and email addresses.

They are not alone. Take federal and military users, for example. Hosted solutions are very rare in these situations. The security and accreditation certifications required make it very difficult, if not impossible, for hosted solutions to pass muster.

Security is not the only thing that keeps on-site solutions alive. There's funding (um, minor detail). Some of the grant programs that pay for notification solutions require purchases rather than, in effect, rentals. (There's change brewing for some of the grant programs.)

So, what's better, hosted or on-site? We could argue either way in good conscience (and have). The answer really depends on the individual organization's needs. In this recent meeting, we spent more time trying to understand the client's needs rather than talking about whether the solution would be hosted or on-site (although we couldn't resist whining about their unwillingness to consider hosted).

All the best,

Rick

Accolades from Town for Notification to Reduce Storm Damage

2010-04-17T04:00:00.000-05:00

Poquoson is a quiet coastal town in Virginia. That is, until the storms come. In 2003, Poquoson received about $95,000,000 in property damage from Hurricane Isabel. It did not have to happen, as city officials learned last year. The lesson came from another big storm. The storm last year was very similar to Isabel. It was a strong one. But, the damage was significantly less --- about $90,000,000 less, in fact.

What changed from 2003 to 2009 was a concerted approach to avoid such damage, knowing Poquoson would be hit again. City officials and residents rallied, according to a recent article in the Daily Press, which serves Poquoson and the surrounding area.

The program was multi-pronged. Homes were elevated, using federal money. A multi-hazard mitigation plan was implemented. A volunteer Community Emergency Response Team was created. 911 operations were consolidated with the County. A call-in center was established for use during big storms.

Poquoson also subscribed to a high-speed notification service. City Manager Randy Wheeler said damage was down, in part, because of advance notice and instructions to prepare delivered by the telephone notification system, "The messages quickly gave residents in flood prone areas the information they needed to prepare, secure their property, move vehicles and avoid damage by safely parking on higher ground. The CodeRED emergency messages let residents know that we were actively managing the situation”, he said.

I'd never heard of Poquoson before. But, next time I'm in the area, I'll visit. This is a success story worth celebrating with a walk on their waterfront.

All the best,

Rick

FCC Seeks Public Comment on CAP's Effect on EAS Rules

2010-04-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

The FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) has announced it is seeking public comment on what changes might be required to the Commission's Emergency Alert System (EAS) rules caused by the introduction of the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). The bureau also wants to know what impact the deployment of FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) might have on EAS policies.

In July of 2007, the Commission mandated that all EAS participants must accept CAP-based alerts 180 days after FEMA publishes the adopted CAP technical standards. FEMA recently indicated this adoption will likely occur in the third quarter of 2010, triggering the 180-day requirement.

In addition to comments regarding immediate effects, the PSHSB is asking commenters to identify rule changes that could also "advance or facilitate introduction of a CAP-based Next Generation EAS architecture." The bureau hopes to minimize future rule changes, or at least provide enough flexibility within the rules to allow for yet-defined technological innovations.

Finally, PSHSB is seeking comment on the required rule changes to ensure people with disabilities and non-English speaking individuals have access to a CAP-based EAS.

Comments from the public are due on or before May 17, 2010 and reply comments are due on or before June 14, 2010.

All the best,

Lorin

Promoting Your Notifcation & Emergency Alert Program

2010-04-14T04:00:00.001-05:00

A notification program by its nature requires action by diverse groups of people…and people don’t take action unless there’s a compelling reason. They have to be convinced to respond…in other words, sold on it.

Think of the notification/alerts/warning program as a product that needs promotion. First, brand it. Give the program a name people will remember, a name that will stick in their memory. Then, decide what message you would like to convey and craft the message. Again, think about a message that will "stick". Then, determine how to get the word out…in other words, the marketing campaign. (Suggested reading: Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die; Chip Heath & Dan Heath (Random House, 2007)

The need to promote the program is not only necessary for public notifications; it applies to internal notification programs, too (i.e. first responders). Cooperation required for updating data alone justifies an internal “sales” program. People will need to know what the notification program does, why it does it, and what part they play to make the program successful. They’ll need to be educated, even if their only role is to receive messages. If their role is to activate messages, they’ll need a different level of education.

So, to properly promote your program, remember these three things:

1. Brand it
2. Create a "sticky" message
3. Develop a "marketing plan"

Leave any of these elements out, and your program could easily fall on deaf ears.

Note: Excerpted from the Galain Solutions, Inc white paper, "Notifications, Alerts, Warnings: The Next Generation". For a copy, please send a request to info@galainsolutions.com. And, if you need more info beyond the paper on how to successfully sell your notification program, let us know. We'd like to help you.

IPAWS Reviewed by DHS CIO

2010-04-11T08:57:00.004-05:00

The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) has received a mostly positive report from a "comprehensive review" by the Department of Homeland Security's Chief Information Officer. The CIO said IPAWS has made "substantial accomplishments" and "effectively addressed" findings of Congress's General Accounting Office (GAO) audit.

As we wrote in September of last year, the GAO audit was highly critical of IPAWS. It criticized IPAWS for: (a) a lack of redundancy, (b) gaps in coverage, (c) a lack of testing and training, (d) limitations in how alerts are disseminated to the public, (e) little capability to alert specific geographic areas (f) no movement in adoption of new technologies. The GAO also said that, despite a need to know, local emergency management and telecom officials know little of the program.

But, in the eyes of the DHS CIO, the IPAWS program has improved significantly since last year's audit. The new report issued by the CIO complimented IPAWS for, "implementing improved processes for systems development and deployment, improving communications with Congress on IPAWS progress and implementing a plan to verify dependability and effectiveness of systems used to disseminate alerts, and verify that IPAWS participants and partners have appropriate training and technical skills." The CIO report also said the IPAWS Program Management Office (PMO) "appears to be appropriately staffed, and IPAWS PMO appears to have done a good job of capturing and managing requirements, and identifying, assessing, and trying to mitigate programmatic risks."

Here's the rub, though: The CIO's office said funding reductions for the IPAWS office will have a "significant impact on the capability to deliver on the schedule currently planned". (The IPAWS budget has been cut by $7,000,000 per year.) The CIO further said IPAWS will be challenged in meeting schedules because a new system for managing projects implemented by DHS will make IPAWS projects appear further behind than they actually are. (A copy of the report is available on the Galain Solutions, Inc. web site here.)

IPAWS has taken on a tough order. But, if it works right, it will make it much more effective for emergency management officials...at all levels, federal, state, and local...to alert the public. It could be a boost for the notification and alerting industry, too. Funding is a concern, though. For the vision to be realized, it's going to take more money, not less. We'd like to see Congress approve a program that would, not only support the infrastructure IPAWS is to modernize, but to provide funds at the state and local level to help tap into IPAWS. Progress cited by the CIO's office is good. More is needed.

All the best,

Rick

Next-Generation Emergency Alert System a Topic for National Association of Broadcasters Show

2010-04-08T17:35:00.008-05:00

The 2010 National Association of Broadcasters show will be held next week in Las Vegas. On Wednesday, April 14, a session will be held entitled “Putting the Final Touches on Next-Generation EAS.”

Following a panel-discussion format, the session is designed to clarify the current role that broadcasters play in Emergency Alert Systems (EAS) and explore if/how station responsibilities will change as the next generation of EAS is implemented.

The session will begin with remarks by Damon Penn, Assistant Administrator of the National Continuity Programs (NCP) for FEMA, and Rear Admiral James Barnett (Ret.), Chief of the FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.

Panelists for the session include Antwane Johnson, FEMA Division Director--IPAWS; Suzanne Goucher, president and CEO, Maine Association of Broadcasters; Thomas Beers, Chief, FCC Policy Division, and Wade Witmer, FEMA Deputy Director--IPAWS.

Even though emergency managers and broadcasters don't cross paths often, we believe it is important for these groups to be aware of each others' respective efforts surrounding public notification. As new trends and technologies emerge, we'll clearly see more overlap here, along with a greater need for coordination and communication.

All the best,

Lorin

To receive a comprehensive Galain Solutions white paper: "Notifications Alerts & Warnings, The Next Generation," email us your request at resources@galainsolutions.com.

Galain Solutions, Inc.
www.galainsolutions.com

Designing the system-of-system notifications program.

2010-04-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

The following is another installment of our series on how to make a system of systems notification program really work. It's excerpted from the Galain Solutions, Inc. white paper "Notifications, Alerts, and Warnings: The Next Generation. (A copy is available upon request by emailing info@galainsolutions.com)

Once you have a good assessment of where you want to go with your "system of systems" notification program, design can begin. Without the Assessment, Design is really not possible. (See Assessing Your Notification Program.)

Design complexity can range from very simple to very complicated, depending on results of the Assessment. Regardless of degree of complexity, technology design should include a center point – the framework that controls the systems.

Elements of good technology design for notifications/alerts/warnings include:

Architecture: Does it support the system-of-system approach? Does it provide bi-directional Application Program Interfaces (APIs) to interface to external systems? Does it cooperate with other systems such as incident management and dispatch?

Functionality: Does the system-of-system” controller” do what it is supposed to do? What about the sub-systems? Are the sub-systems open-ended to allow customization and expansion? Would both public notification and first responder notifications be accommodated?

Speed: Will the design support quick notifications and the capacity needed? (This could be a big challenge in serious events with widespread impact.)

Usability: Is it easy to use for both entry-level as well as expert users? This is particularly important considering the challenging operational environment.

Practicality: Does the design support concepts that can be implemented within a reasonable amount of time, and with available funds? Can existing infrastructure be used?

Data Management: Does the design accommodate diverse and dynamic data sources? Can it support integration tools needed for extract/transform/load (ETL) operations? Can it feed-back information to external systems for synchronization? Will it accommodate citizen registrations?

Evolving Technology: Does it support the fact the environment will change, particularly considering the evolution of communication preferences?

Depending on the complexity, outside resources may be required – perhaps a systems integrator who has expertise with notifications/alerts/warnings technologies. (We know some good ones with specific expertise in this area.) Also, note that this post only pertains to technical design. In effect, you'll need to develop "design" around operations, governance, and outreach.

Notifications and the Census

2010-04-01T09:15:00.000-05:00

As I was filling out my census form the other day, I recalled a story I heard several years ago about an emergency notification system being used to boost a community's census response. The story came from Polk County, Florida (yes, the same county that made chad news). They got the idea to use the Sheriff's notification system to encourage county residents to complete their census forms. While the system was intended for public safety purposes, the county reasoned this non-emergency use was justified because the more people who filled out their census forms, the more money Polk County would get from the feds for public safety purposes.

Don't scoff. This worked. Over 200,000 people were called. Polk County reported an unusually high return rate and, as I recall, received some type of special acknowledgement from the Census Bureau. I don't recall hearing much about citizen complaints (although there are almost always complains with any large notification, regardless of its nature).

Here are the tricks: The county had their census notifications set on a low priority so that any emergency notifications would take over the system and pre-empt the census notifications. And, they took their time about issuing the notifications. They weren't done in a fast burst, so no real threat of overloading the telephone infrastructure.

It's always a touchy topic when a system intended for emergencies is used for non-emergency purposes. In this case, county officials discussed it and decided that the reward outweighed the risk...the primary risk being that citizens would complain, or begin to ignore phone calls from the county. Neither turned out to be a problem.

Now, if they had only used the system to coach people how to fill out their vote ballots.

All the best,

Rick

A Case for a Business Case on Notification Programs

2010-03-30T09:00:00.002-05:00

An effective way to approach a managed notification project is through development of a business case. (Many organizations require one.) Done right, a business case is more than a justification. It forces consideration of factors that can make or break a project. Plus, it establishes a go-forward plan. Even if not required for approval of a project, a strong business case can set the stage for success.

The business case should be a collaborative document with input from various stakeholders. Then, it should be kept alive, with updates and modifications, even after approval. A strong business case doesn’t need to be long, but it should be thorough.

The business case will be the guide throughout the project. Plus, it’s an excellent way for obtaining buy-in from stakeholders (including those who hold the purse strings).

Elements for a good notification program Business Case are:

Vision/Mission
Description
Justification
Critical Success Factors
Financial Impact
Measurements
Action Plan

Galain Solutions, Inc. has published a white paper "Building a Good Business Case", which is available upon request to info@galainsolutions.com. Couple the Business Case document with Galain's white paper, "Notifications, Alerts, Warnings: The Next Generation" and you have a good primer on launching or enhancing a notification program that truly produces success. (The "Next Generation" white paper is also available upon request to info@galainsolutions.com.)

All the best,

Rick

The Numbers Behind New York Alert

2010-03-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

Response to our original post about New York Alert, the state of New York's unique approach to automated alerts and warnings, has been strong. The original post told the story of the New York State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) developing close relationships with carriers so that high-volume notifications could be delivered to populated areas, without bringing down the infrastructure. We know of no other place where these tight relationships exist (although they need to, as infrastructure issues can shut down notification efforts).

Here are some of the numbers behind the story: There are now more than 5.8-million people in the New York Alert database. Over 1.7-million have gone to the trouble of registering through the New York Alert portal. Public Information Officer Dennis Michalski says most of the citizens who signed up for the notifications heard about it through word of mouth. Plus, he says many of the counties in the state have done a good job spreading the word about New York Alert. Even though there are significantly more than 5.8-million people in New York, Michalski says, "Through multi-member households and in the workplace, the message will reach the general population that has not yet subscribed".

Over 800 organizations can deliver messages through New York Alert. They include state agencies, and local authorities throughout New York. State-supported colleges and universities can use the system. The State Department of Transportation, Office of Homeland Security, and the Division of Military and Naval Affairs can use it.

Over 105 vendors are involved. This includes providers of the networks that carry cell calls, land line calls, SMS, internet, email, etc.

The state has invested about $5-million dollars in New York Alert since 2005. This is not much money, considering the fact that state says it looked first for private vendors to complete the project and the vendor estimates came in at well over $100-million with desired features still missing. (SEMO built the system itself under leadership of Assistant CIO Kevin Ross.)

And, here's one of the most fascinating numbers behind the story: The system has been activated over 175-thousand times in the last five months alone!

A lot of people are watching the numbers as the New York Alert story is told, and they should be.

All the best,

Rick

Assessing Your Notification Program

2010-03-24T04:41:00.000-05:00

One of the key elements of a successful notification program is getting off to the right start. That means developing a good understanding. Good understanding begins with an Assessment – a specific process that creates a solid detailed understanding of “what” is to be accomplished and likely to be encountered. (This is not the “how” to accomplish; that comes later.)

The Assessment Plan should be tied to a Vision and Mission. The Vision is, in effect, a statement of what the program will look like when it is fully in place. Then, a Mission is established. The Mission states how the Vision will be accomplished.

Then, Requirements and Constraints should be identified. It’s a good idea to classify and prioritize Requirements and Constraints based on importance and significance, and to make sure various elements are included (Technology, Management, Governance, Promotion). Next, an inventory of Communities of Interest must be conducted. From what groups will ‘buy-in’ and participation be needed in order to ensure the program’s success?

With these pieces in place (Vision, Mission, Requirements/Constraints, Communities of Interest) the investigation can begin. It is often a good idea to conduct a Preliminary Investigation to get a surface-level overview. Armed with this preliminary report, one could then hone in on the specifics appearing to be most significant.

The Assessment should identify priorities, issues likely to develop, and critical success factors. Among other things, the Assessment needs to carefully address contact data, whether for the general public or internal staff. Contact information will often come from multiple sources, and will change often. Methods, processes, and technology exist to mitigate the diversity and change of contact data, but mitigation cannot begin until an understanding is developed through the Assessment.

To develop the Assessment, stakeholder collaboration will be required and senior officials must participate. Without buy-in and involvement from the top, the program will not be successful.

Note: Excerpted from the Galain Solutions, Inc. white paper: "Notifications, Alerts, Warnings: The Next Generation". For a copy, email info@galainsolutions.com.

New Hampshire Working Toward Statewide Notification System

2010-03-22T04:00:00.000-05:00

A bill is circulating through the New Hampshire legislature to create a statewide emergency notification system. With amendments this month by the House, the legislation is now ready for Senate action. If approved, the bill would direct the state bureau of emergency communications to to develop and maintain the statewide system. Spending would be limited to $600,000

Here are a couple of particularly interesting points about HB-0213, and its new amendments:

1. The notification system would be financed through the same surcharges as the state E911 system. This is normally a controversial topic, since 911 organizations generally don't like their funds used for anything other than 911.

2. As amended, the legislation requires the emergency communications bureau to work with technical personnel of wireline, wireless, voice over Internet Protocol, and cable industries "to ensure the delivery of emergency messages in the most efficient manner". Not many months ago, this would been a tough order to carry out. But, the State of New York through its New York Alert system has shown quite effectively how this can work, and work well. (See "State of New York Fix for Major Emergency Notification Challenge").

There seem to be missing elements of the legislation:

1. We don't see mandates for collaboration with local public safety. Where states have tried to implement statewide systems without collaboration, the results have been less than pretty.

2. What about requirements that investments in the statewide system take into consideration developing federal programs, such as the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and the related Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS)? At the very least, other efforts have included a requirement that technology used must at least be compliant with the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). Now, certainly the state doesn't need legislation to make those things happen, but it could help.

3. And, the other thing that appears to be missing is enough money. $600,000 may technology a state the size of New Hampshire needs. But, what about funds for public outreach? What about training? What about special needs provisions? And, would $600,000 really be enough to facilitate relationships with the carriers. (New York has spent over $5,000,000 on its statewide system, which includes automatic throttling based on live info from the carriers.)

Despite any shortcomings, hats off to the New Hampshire legislature for trying. If the bill passes and is signed into law, New Hampshire would join only a handful of other states with statewide notification systems.

All the best,

Rick

EAS Summit Connects Feds and Broadcasters on Issues of Public Warning

2010-03-19T08:39:00.008-05:00

The 6th Annual 2010 Emergency Alert System Summit, funded by the National Association of Broadcasters, was held March 1 in Washington, D.C. In attendance were more than 175 emergency managers, broadcasters, cable operators and state broadcasters association representatives from 44 states and territories, according to a comprehensive article on www.radiomagonline.com.

The yearly Summit is designed to connect broadcasters and the Federal government on issues surrounding public alerting in times of crisis. The Summit generated significant interest this year, as a great deal of new attention is being placed on the nation's alerting infrastructure and the broadcasters' associated role.

Some of the highlights include:

- Discussion on a recent bill passed in Nevada naming broadcasters as first responders with priority for food, water, and fuel during a disaster. Broadcasters support this concept. Though broadcasters provide assurances their motivation is strictly centered on the priority receipt of staple items, others feel it might open the door for broadcasters to apply for public safety money.

-FEMA's intended target date to adopt CAP (and start the clock rolling on a 180-day deadline for broadcasters' equipment to comply) is currently August/September 2010. However, FEMA stated that the delay in OASIS's adoption of CAP v1.2 as an international standard until the end of May 2010 will likely push FEMA's deadline until Q4 of 2010.

-FEMA's Geo-Targeted Alerting System (GTAS) application was introduced. See our previous post here.

-Five new Primary Entry Point (PEP) stations (stations with dedicated power circuits connected to emergency command centers) will be added this year to the existing 41. FEMA is committed to having a total of 74 PEP stations with coverage of 90 percent of the U.S. population by the end of 2011.

-The National Weather Service (NWS) said its CAP alert website will be in full production within the next two months. Also, the Weather Radio Improvement Program (WRIP), slated to be completed in two years, will offer CAP message input into NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) systems.

In all, feedback suggests the Summit was helpful and well-received by all audiences. The broadcast community is certainly a critical player in warning the public, and its great to see effective communication among the key stakeholders.

All the best,

Lorin

To receive a comprehensive Galain Solutions white paper: "Notifications Alerts & Warnings, The Next Generation," email us your request at resources@galainsolutions.com.

Galain Solutions, Inc.
www.galainsolutions.com

Notification Systems--More than Just Public Warnings

2010-03-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

In speaking with emergency managers across the country, we find much of the focus with regards to emergency notification is on warning the public. However, we believe it's important to consider the powerful ways notification technology can also be used to enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency.

There are few agencies in the country (or the world for that matter) better at this than the Los Angeles Fire Department. The department employs many talented people, but our long-time friend Ron Corona is a rock star--constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to creating new uses for notification technology. Ron and company are consistently creating new interfaces and applications built on the "guts" of their commercial vendor's application (PlantCML in this case).

Most vendors offer some sort of API (Application Programming Interface), a sort of gateway that allows software developers outside of the vendor's company to safely access the inner workings of the application. This gives people like Ron the ability to create new ways of doing things without waiting (and hoping) for the vendor to add new functionality.

For example, Ron's team has created a portal that tracks and mobilizes crisis response team volunteers. Citizens trained in urban search and rescue, first aid, utilities maintenance, etc. can be mobilized according to their particular capabilities and the unique demands of the event.

Another example: the department has created an asset tracking system for keeping up with assorted fire vehicles. Because stations are able to "borrow" vehicles from other stations depending on need, it is sometimes a challenge to know exactly where equipment resides at any given time. To solve this, the department's notification system is custom programmed to call every fire station on Tuesdays reminding them to check their inventory and update the asset database. If a piece of equipment is overdue, the system will call and remind a station to turn in the loaned asset. Eventually, if the asset is not returned and there is no response from the borrowing station, the system calls upper management to alert them of the situation. This process is entirely automated, and made possible by tapping into the existing notification system.

When thinking about notification systems, remember they may offer greater capabilities than just public-oriented alerts. These systems can be useful tools for managing and overcoming everyday obstacles.

All the best,

Lorin

Paying for a System of Systems Emergency Notification Program

2010-03-14T08:59:00.000-05:00

On the surface, costs for a managed system-of-systems notification and alerting program will be greater than the traditional approach of buying a single solution from a vendor. A closer look would reveal significant money has often been spent on the traditional approach, with little return and success. Since a proper approach had not been followed, results are disappointing.

A managed system-of-system can start small, and grow. With the proper design in place up front, sub-systems can be added as more money becomes available. It can also leverage past investments.

The managed system-of-system approach also addresses two of the most important requirements of the federal grant programs typically used: (1) Interoperability, and (2) Collaboration.

Interoperability is encouraged by bringing together diverse and dynamic communications modes, ensuring communications is facilitated through a single system …despite communications preferences and communication mode availability.

Collaboration is facilitated by the process, which requires shared input at almost every step. This will resonate with grant reviewers, as it shows a systematic approach for overcoming well-known obstacles.

Meantime, funds from the massive economic stimulus law could be used for notification/alert/warnings system deployments. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides states with over $8.8 billion dollars which can be used for “public safety and other government services”. A number of local governments have listed notification systems on their “wish lists” for spending the federal funds.

Additionally, the economic stimulus law gave new life to two law enforcement grant programs used in the past to purchase notification solutions. The grant beneficiaries are the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Grant Program (commonly referred to as “Byrne Grants” or “JAG” – Justice Assistance Grants Program) and the Community Oriented Policing Services Grant Program (commonly referred to as “COPS Grants”). Both grant programs are designed to fight crime, although there’s been a certain amount of flexibility in the way funds are spent. Technology spending is accepted.

Beyond grants, the system-of-systems approach will appeal to others who control purse strings – namely elected officials. Thus, grants are not necessarily the only source of funds, even during tough economic times. Impressive success stories exist showing how well-done notification programs are strong assets to communities in day-to-day use (not to mention, a source of community good will, which can translate to votes.)

Plus, the dynamic and diverse nature of communications methods and preferences is easy to see; every one experiences it first-hand. It’s simply a matter of showing the purse string-holders that a plan exists for, not only mitigating the rapidly-changing communications environment, but embracing it.

NOTE: Excerpted from Galain Solutions, Inc white paper, "Notifications, Alerts, Warnings: The Next Generation" Copies are available upon request to info@galainsolutions.com.

NEMA Plugs IPAWS to Congress

2010-03-10T04:00:00.000-06:00

In Congressional testimony this week, a representative of the National Emergency Managers Association (NEMA) re-stated NEMA's support for the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). Arkansas Homeland Security Advisor David Maxwell was on Capitol Hill to testify about an amendment to the Robert Stafford Act that, among other things, directs FEMA to modernize and implement IPAWS. Funding would also be provided.

Maxwell said NEMA considers IPAWS, "a valuable tool for state and local government warning functions." He said NEMA is pleased with the fact that the Amendment specifically calls for creation of a Modernization Advisory Council Committee, which would include state and local emergency management officials.

IPAWS is intended to be a roll-up of a number of national initiatives that would strengthen capability to issue Presidential alerts, imminent threat warnings, and Amber Alerts. Although criticized by the General Accounting Office last year for a lack of movement, IPAWS has shown recent signs of progress. Most significant is approval of design standards for the Commercial Mobile Alert System. By 2012 local, state, and federal emergency management professionals should be able to issue alerts to targeted geographic areas via cellular. Also, under the IPAWS umbrella, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) has recently been getting a work-out. A statewide EAS test was recently conducted in Alaska, and the FCC issued rules to allow EAS to be tested nationally. IPAWS has also been recently showing off a plume modeling and high-resolultion weather modeling application that can be used for notifications.

All the best,

Rick

Social Considerations for Successful Notifications & Alerts

2010-03-08T13:00:00.001-06:00

The following is another in our series of excerpts from the Galain Solutions, Inc. white paper, "Notification, Alerts, and Warnings: The Next Generation". (Copy available by sending request to info@galainsolutions.com)

It’s tempting to view notifications/alerts/warnings primarily from a technology perspective, thinking the technology chosen will be the most significant key to success. No doubt technology is important, but other considerations carry as much weight…perhaps even more. One that’s often overlooked is Social Considerations – most importantly, how will people react when they receive critical messages? Will the message encourage them to do what’s necessary, perhaps to protect their lives? (Suggested reading: Communication of Emergency Public Warnings: A Social Science Perspective and State-of-the –Art Assessment; Dennis S. Mileti, John H. Sorenson; August, 1990. Yes, it's a bit old, but still quite pertinent.)

Dr. Dennis Milleti has been studying and advising on social considerations of notifications/alerts/warnings for years. The Professor Emeritus at Colorado University told the group working on a statewide notification program for California that while technology is needed to service the end, social problems cannot be solved by technology. The problem, he says, is that the whole purpose of notifications/alerts/warnings is to get people to change behavior…and people do not do so easily. For one thing, an individual’s response to a warning is largely based on credibility of the source. Different people find different sources credible…and credibility ratings change from day-to-day, according to Dr. Milleti. He says another challenge is that a warning weaves people together who don’t normally communicate. Because of this, it’s easy to break a link in communications…thus, making the warning ineffective, he says.

Dr. Milleti’s vision for optimum public warnings includes, what he calls, “a virtual warning center”…in effect, one person executing a notification/alert/warning from a single point, but through many “warning partners”. This is necessary, he says, because of a wide array of communications methods people use and trust. For example, he says, social networks are increasingly becoming the first way people learn about something. Thus, social networks would be one of the “warning partners”.

Dr. John Sorenson of Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL) says, “From a social perspective, it makes a lot of sense that you want to use multiple channels.” However, he cautions against relying heavily on Internet Protocol (IP) notifications. He says during the San Diego wildfires of 2007, fewer than five-percent of residents used the web to obtain information on the wildfires.
Dr. Sorenson is the principle in charge of a FEMA-sponsored study on the impact of telephone notifications during the wildfires. He says his team has surveyed 1,200 households in the evacuation zones to determine how they reacted to the telephone calls. (For a copy of Dr. Sorenson's report, visit http://galainsolutions.com/resources.html)

The Next Generation notification/alerts/warnings programs will need to do a better job regarding social considerations.

State of New York Fix for Major Emergency Notification Challenge

2010-03-05T10:30:00.000-06:00

I must confess to being skeptical. When I heard the State of New York claim the emergency notification system it built had real throttling to adjust to delivery infrastructure issues, I doubted it.

When you're trying to notify large quantities of people, you're bound to run into infrastructure issues. If you're making phone calls in an emergency (or on Mother's Day), the telco central offices can be clogged. If you're trying to send SMS messages, they can get cued behind other messages. If you're trying to send email, you can get delays from any of the large number of paths your messages must follow. Not to mention the fact that all of these delivery infrastructures can become even more clogged when a serious, widespread emergency is occurring...just when they're needed the most.

These types of problems are pretty much unavoidable, despite best efforts. The calling, SMSing, and emailing infrastructures simply won't accommodate the bursts of activity that a serious emergency in a heavily-populated area will create.

So, how could the State of New York claim that its system truly works around the logjams? Well, Kevin Ross is how. He's the energetic Assistant Director of Technology for the New York State Emergency Management Office (SEMO). Ross and team have created solid technology, but what they've done that's so blasted impressive is create real relationships, technology and otherwise, with many of the providers of infrastructure throughout New York.

These relationships allow the SEMO system to, first, know when logjams are occurring real-time, then, work around them. This is no small accomplishment. Infrastructure providers are very protective about how their networks function, and closely guard information about true capabilities.

Ross told us infrastructure vendors can't be dictated to. "They need to know that you respect their networks and that you know what you're talking about", he said. Then, it's a matter of forging relationships. It's not easy. Ross said, "It's extremely difficult to bring these people together". But, now that he has, infrastructure providers are bringing him creative new ideas for using their pipelines for emergency notification.

There's much more to be said about Ross and the SEMO system, and we will post more. For now, though, know there's at least one person who has figured out how to solve this chronic problem. His system may not be perfect, but holy moly, it's impressive!

All the best,

Rick

Managing a System-of-Systems emergency notification approach

2010-03-01T15:00:00.000-06:00

Every day, more people are realizing that the best approach to a solid notification and alerting plan is the "system-of-systems" route. Not one single system, but a number of them working in concert. A system-of-system concept requires a different thought process from the get-go. The answer is not simply buying a notification solution from a vendor, going through training, and expecting success to occur. Instead, the mission must be approached as a managed program.

Success of a managed program is largely dependent upon understanding, design, control, and promotion of the system-of-systems. It must be properly built and managed - accomplished only after a good understanding is developed. Then, once in place, it must be “sold” both internally and externally. This means a specific process with five definitive steps. Once the process and steps are known, it’s a matter of implementing the process and following the steps.

First, an Assessment must be conducted. It is followed by development of a Business Case, a document and exercise that serves as a guide for going forward and a means for winning buy-in. Design, management, and promotion are next.

The level of effort will depend on the organization (or organizations) involved. Large, complex organizations will naturally require more effort. Smaller organizations would be well-served to follow the process, even if the level of effort is low.

With these five things properly done, a notification/alert/warning program will be successful.

NOTE: Excerpted from Galain Solutions, Inc. white paper, "Notifications, Alerts, Warnings: The Next Generation". Complete copy available by emailing info@galainsolutions.com.

Digital Signage as A Notification Channel

2010-02-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

When considering options for mass notification, emergency managers are generally accustomed to sending alerts through telephones, mobile devices and email. Yet, an interesting (perhaps controversial) option growing in public reach is the digital sign or digital outdoor billboard.

Digital sign deployments on campuses, in facilities and within complexes continues to expand. And, these signs are not confined to closed networks within buildings. As advertisers vie for attention, and consumers require greater sophistication in visual content, municipalities are witnessing an increase in the number of digital billboards on highways and highly-trafficked areas according to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America.

Whether for or against this trend, the movement is noteworthy for emergency managers as these devices appear to have implications for public alerting. For example, last month outdoor advertiser Clear Channel Outdoor and the FBI unveiled a digital billboard in Times Square designed to "highlight wanted fugitives, missing persons and high-priority security messages."

The billboard is apparently part of a nationwide partnering initiative which enables the FBI to highlight: violent criminals, kidnap victims, missing children, bank robbers, and more. The FBI currently has access to more than 1,500 billboards in more than 40 states through this initiative.

It's no stretch to imagine mass notification systems linked to local billboards, perhaps targeting very specific geographic areas of a city. Further, one can imagine private networks within malls, hospitals, office buildings, etc. open to receiving authenticated emergency alerts through a standard messaging protocol such as CAP (Common Alerting Protocol).

Such devices may even be useful for collecting situational data from citizens at the scene of a crisis. According to Sanjay Manandhar, CEO of Aerva, a company that develops software to drive digital displays, signs can be programmed in real-time through a web-based interface to collect feedback using SMS polling (such systems are being used currently for events such as concerts and trade shows). Perhaps this feature can be used in creative ways to solicit incident-related information.

It will certainly be interesting to see how new methods of notification will emerge over the next decade. Digital signage technology may become a widely-accepted channel for delivering critical information as its penetration continues to deepen.

All the best,

Lorin

To receive a comprehensive Galain Solutions white paper: "Notifications Alerts & Warnings, The Next Generation," email us your request at resources@galainsolutions.com.

Galain Solutions, Inc.
www.galainsolutions.com

Another State Attempts Statewide Notification Program

2010-02-24T11:11:00.004-06:00

Legislation has been introduced in Tennessee that would create a pilot for a statewide notification program. In bills introduced by Senator Eric Stewart and Representative Charles Curtiss, the state emergency communications board will select local communications boards in regions throughout the state to conduct pilots.

The program would notify persons of severe weather warnings and emergency information via recorded voice messages. Text message delivery is a possibility.

There's obviously a price tag associated with the pilot. Funds would come from the E911 coffers. Considering the state of the economy, resistance to new programs with costs, and the fact that 911 officials are very protective of their funds, the legislation could easily not pass this year. But, at least it puts the issue on the table.

States with statewide notification systems include: New York, Montana, Connecticut, California, and Louisiana. (If you know of others, please let us know.)

All the best,

Rick

End of an Era in ENS

2010-02-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

Today marked the end of an era of sorts in emergency notification. PlantCML® announced it will no longer be using the Dialogic Communications Corporation or DCC brands, but will instead consolidate the division into a newly created "PlantCML Notification Solutions and Services (NSS)" business unit. DCC was previously a wholly owned subsidiary, using the name since its original inception in the early '80s.

It appears as if the company will continue utilizing the various application brand names such as The Communicator!® NXT™, GeoCast® Web™, NetNotify™ and REVERSE 911®. Further, product development, technical support, field services and sales will continue to be managed from the Franklin, TN offices.

On a related note, long-time ENS veteran Bob Peter has moved on from DCC. Bob led the sales teams and was a part of the REVERSE 911® organization prior to its acquisition by PlantCML. Bob is a class act and we wish him great success in his new endeavors.

All the best,

Lorin

FEMA Shows Off its Geo-Targeted Alert System Project

2010-02-11T08:31:00.012-06:00

Yesterday, FEMA illustrated its Geo-Targeted Alerting System (GTAS) project, a prototype application of plume modeling and high resolution weather models that may eventually be used for alerting the public.

The application is essentially a map-based notification interface, however, it is connected to some very useful data. First, it receives high-resolution weather data and modeling feeds from the National Weather Service. These feeds allow emergency managers to visualize areas in the path of dangerous weather (currently or forecasted) and to select these areas for the issuance of highly targeted public emergency notifications. Further, the app provides built-in collaboration tools so emergency managers can can work with outside experts to clarify the information being presented.

Second, it offers toxic plume modeling capabilities that, when combined with atmospheric information, provides detailed information on the dispersion patterns of toxic substances. This information can also be used to guide the issuance of public alerts. The application can apparently model more than 500 toxic substances (based on the CAMEO chemicals database).

The application is designed to utilize the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) for communicating with local emergency notification systems and National Weather Service transmitters. It will also interface with FEMA's upcoming Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) through CAP.

The system was piloted in four FEMA regions last year, and several more pilots are scheduled for this year. FEMA says it expects the application to be generally available to emergency managers by 2013.

All the best,

Lorin

To receive a comprehensive Galain Solutions white paper: "Notifications Alerts & Warnings, The Next Generation," email us your request at resources@galainsolutions.com.

Galain Solutions, Inc.
www.galainsolutions.com

Solving the Mystery of Nixle

2010-02-07T20:11:00.001-06:00

As we travel around the country, we keep hearing public safety officials talk about Nixle. It's a notification solution, similar to others. A public safety agency subscribes, then invites residents to sign up to receive notifications. Here's the difference: Nixle is free. It doesn't cost public safety anything and it doesn't cost the residents anything.

So, how can a company offer such a service with no obvious means of survival? A prominent theory about the mystery is that Nixle will generate revenue by selling space in their notifications to advertisers. Wrong, we learned. In fact, their agreements with their public safety customers specifically state they won't do so. So, what is it?

Being astute detectives, we decided to solve the mystery. (OK, perhaps we simply called Nixle's Chief Executive Officer/Founder.) Craig Mitnik is a former prosecutor, clearly with a passion for helping make sure citizens are notified when there's something of interest going on in their communities. He says he's surprised that his business model has become an issue, but says he's been asked about it many times in the last few months as he was building his customer list to over 3,600 agencies.

Here's the trick: Mitnik and company have developed related technology they intend to sell to the private sector. That, he believes, will be more lucrative than selling to public safety, and will help support his public safety efforts.

Mitnik stresses that his public safety system and his private sector systems "are not co-mingled". His partners will probably make sure that's the case. One of them is the National Law Enforcement Technology System (NLETS), which has strict standards for security.

We don't endorse vendors, but I must confess to being impressed with Nixle. I signed up to check it out. (Since my hometown doesn't use Nixle, I had to trick the system into thinking that I live in a bar in Virginia.) I was impressed with the notifications I received. Mitnik shares credit with the public safety agency in Virginia I tricked, saying Nixle gives complete control to the agency for content.

Is Nixle the answer to the challenge of solving notification problems? Probably not by itself, but it sure looks like an interesting piece of the puzzle. Let's just hope Mitnik and company are successful selling to the private sector so they can keep their public safety habit alive.

All the best,

Rick

An Offer You Can't Refuse?

2010-02-02T17:53:00.006-06:00

In a follow up to our recent post on providing incentives for citizens to register their mobile phones for alerts, it appears San Diego County is dipping its fingers into the motivational pie. Literally.

The county, in conjunction with Twenty First Century Communications, is offering to give the first 500 people who register their mobile phones a free medium Papa John's pizza. The incentive is open to people who haven't previously registered their phones with AlertSanDiego, the county's emergency notification system. And for those who miss the initial free pizza deal, the pizza chain will provide special discount coupons for additional registrants throughout the month of February.

We love to see creative juices flowing (sorry) when it comes to cost-effective methods for creating a buzz among citizens. This situation is an example of a win-win-win for citizens, public safety officials and local business.

Keep your eyes open for more unique partnering programs that get results. And let us hear about your own success stories. Unless, of course, the ideas happen to be really...cheesy.

(Very sorry).

All the best,

Lorin

Financial Incentive for Signing Up for Notification Program

2010-01-31T13:00:00.000-06:00

Many communities offer some type of sign-up mechanism for residents to register to receive automated notifications. Good idea. However, there's usually a struggle to get people to actually go to the trouble of signing up.

Advertising and public relations campaigns help. Major events do, too. Sign-up rates have been reported higher when there's a well-known public threat (i.e. higher rates reported during San Diego wildfires).

Here's a new twist. It comes from Dubuque, Iowa where a financial incentive is offered for notification sign-up. The city has agreed to waive fines for illegal parking in snow clearance routes, if residents sign up to receive automated notifications. If they don't sign up, they could be fined $30 per violation. (See local article here.)

Said Captain Scott Crabill of Dubuque PD, “I have a bunch of dismissed tickets sitting on my desk. Half of the people coming in with tickets are signing up for CodeRED for the very first time. The others are updating their personal information due to recent moves and phone number changes. It has been a GREAT public relations win for the police department. Citizens are happy because they are getting the fine removed and they’ll get the latest updates on snow removal. It’s one of the few times when people arrive with tickets and leave happy.”

Good creative problem solving, Dubuque!

All the best,

Rick

FCC Paves the Way for a National Test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS)

2010-01-28T13:52:00.010-06:00

Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a "notice for proposed rulemaking" amending its existing rules for the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and paving the way for national testing of the system.

The EAS is a national system that exists primarily to allow the President to issue warnings to the American public during crisis situations. To date, the system has never been used to deliver a national Presidential alert. Further, no systematic national test of the EAS has ever been conducted to determine whether or not the system would actually work should a Presidential alert be needed.

Regular tests at the state and local level are required ("this is a test, only a test"), but the rules in current form do not require any national exercising of the system. According to the FCC document, "the rules generally focus on testing of components of the system rather than the system as a whole...they do not test whether the national EAS infrastructure as a whole works well or at all."

The FCC now proposes to amend the existing regulations, requiring all EAS participants to take part in national testing procedures and provide post-test results. The FCC is seeking public comment on the issues surrounding this proposed rule.

A statewide test was conducted earlier this month in Alaska. The FCC, FEMA, National Weather Service, and the Executive Office of the President plan on conducting a national test sometime this year according to our sources.

All the best,

Lorin

The Curse of the Matrix

2010-01-28T11:53:00.001-06:00

It's not unusual for someone to ask us to provide a matrix that compares one notification solution to the others. Just the other day, a request came from a large company, curious about how the various players stack up. In almost every case, we refuse to be sucked into the matrix abyss. Here's why: a competitive matrix in the notification industry is virtually useless. It provides almost no meaningful assistance to making informed decisions.

Unfortunately, it's more complicated than putting together a list of vendors and noting who does what. These lists almost always end up with a feature and functionality inventory. You're not going to find significant differences between what notification companies of the same ilk list as their features and functions.

So, the question becomes "how do I decide which one is best?" Instead of relying on a matrix to answer your question for you, try asking these questions...

- Will the solution be conducive to the reality of how people communicate these days? Communications preferences differ significantly between individuals. Will the solution be able to communicate with the full spectrum of preferences?

- What's the long-term prognosis for the solution? Can it be flexible as technology and citizen preferences change? How will it fare when standards supported by the federal government really take hold? Does it fit within the overall game plan for the nation? Is the vendor really paying attention to what's happening on this front?

- How does the solution fit with my existing public warning approaches? Most local agencies have at least some type of public warning solution in place. It's hard to throw out the old to make room for the new. So, you have to figure what can be salvaged from your old solution, and see how it can blend with the new.

- Does the solution play well with others? Can it be interfaced to other notification solutions? What about non-notification solutions such as incident management systems and other tools found in the EOC? Would it support an effort to create an "Easy" button to help streamline notification procedures in an emergency?

- Can the solution handle my load? If the provider is promising to notify large quantities in a significant and widespread event, have they really done it? Whether the solution is making phone calls, delivering text messages, or sounding sirens there are limits to bandwidth available. Users who don't understand this, make their vendors prove capacity, and still prepare for limitations will find themselves short when a major event occurs.

- How does the solution really fit the dynamics of my situation? There are many similarities to the emergency environments we work in. However, ignoring nuances can lead to less-than-success.

- What kind of customer support record does the vendor really have? This is serious business, no time for vendors who don't really support their customers and listen to them.

And, we could go on. Unfortunately, this is not easy stuff. There are so many vendors in the notifications, alerts, and warnings market making so many claims that it's difficult to get a grip on where to turn. There's no easy answer, and relying on a feature and functionality matrix won't help.

All the best,

Rick

Easy Button for Notifications

2010-01-24T17:13:00.003-06:00

Remember those TV commercials where an "Easy" button was pressed and, presto, all office supply problems are solved. Emergency managers have been wanting an Easy button for their notification needs for some time now. They'd like to avoid the necessity of activating multiple notification systems when a serious event occurs.

We don't know of any Easy button, although there are signs they're coming. Contra Costa County, California had an interface built that activates multiple notification solutions. Dane County, Wisconsin recently released a Request for Proposal for an independent consultant to help them figure out how to streamline their notification process, among other things. They'd like an Easy button. The Government of Alberta, Canada recently awarded a contract to a company called Black Coral for an Emergency Public Warning System Modernization project. The project will include building an interface for activating multiple notification tools. Then, of course, there's the growing momentum of CAP, the Common Alerting Protocol which will help Easy button efforts.

For now, most emergency management professionals have to press a number of buttons to get the word out to the public. Perhaps a day is coming, though, when they'll be about to say, "That was easy."

All the best,

Rick

Amber Alerts to Blue Alerts

2010-01-09T08:29:00.000-06:00

Legislation is being introduced in California that would add another color of alerts to Amber Alerts. These alerts would be dubbed Blue Alerts. They would be issued in certain situations when a law enforcement officer was fatally shot, wounded or assaulted with a firearm.

A Blue Alert, like an Amber Alert, would prompt activation of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).

To satisfy the Blue Alert criteria, the suspect must still be at large and be considered an imminent threat. A detailed description of the suspect's vehicle or license plate must be known, and officials must have determined that dissemination of the information could help avoid further harm or result in the suspect being apprehended faster.

The legislation is being introduced by Senator George Runner of Southern California. Senator Runner was one of the legislators behind the original Amber Alert law in California.

There are Blue Alert programs already in Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida. There's really no cost to adding Blue Alerts to Amber Alerts, other than interruption of TV and radio broadcasts. Seems like this would be good legislation for the rest of the states. A copy of the language to be used in the legislation can be found here.

All the best,

Rick

No Surprise: Some Glitches in Alaska EAS Test

2010-01-07T12:09:00.007-06:00

As part of a concerted effort to enhance the national warning system, a test was conducted yesterday of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in Alaska. This test was quite different from the ones broadcasters normally conduct each month. In this one, federal officials actually used the Emergency Action Notification (EAN) codes. These codes are to be used by the President only, and have never been used before.

The whole purpose of the test was to identify where any problems exist. Bryan Fisher of the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management told KTUU-TV they "found a few anomalies with equipment and programming, as expected." Generally, though, the test was a success, says Jeremy Zidek of state Emergency Management. He says the state received the message from the feds, the state passed it along, and most stations transmitted it. He says any problems were generally associated with equipment at the station end. The stations "have various degrees of technology", said Zidek.

Here's the text of the statement transmitted by radio, TV, and cable stations across the state.

"This is the FEMA Operations Center. Standby for a message from the Presidential Communications Office. (pause) TEST-TEST-TEST... This is a test of the Emergency Alert System. The message you are hearing is part of a live code test of National Emergency Alert System capabilities limited to the State of Alaska only. This test message has been initiated by National Alert authorities in coordination with State of Alaska authorities and broadcasters in your area. If this had been an actual emergency, the attention signal you just heard would have been followed by official information or instructions. (this text then repeated three or four times) This concludes this test as of 1405 hours. Stations may now resume normal programming."

For those places where the codes didn't work, old equipment will get the blame. This is a chronic problem for EAS. Many of the broadcasters haven't kept up to date on their EAS equipment. The FCC waived penalties for this test, and hopefully equipment upgrades will follow in Alaska (and elsewhere, for that matter.)

New Years Resolutions for Emergency Notification

2010-01-06T17:00:00.000-06:00

One of the notification vendors sent us a list of 7 resolutions for users of emergency notification users. We liked the list, so here it is:

7. Tell everyone you have a system.
6. Train all departments.
5. Test your system.
4. Use your system.
3. Communicate with your vendor.
2. Demand excellent service.
1. Don't procrastinate. If you don't have a system, make it a priority to research getting one.

The list is compliments of Code Red™ and can be found here.

All the best,

Rick

This is a test of the test

2010-01-06T15:36:00.003-06:00

It's not unusual to hear radio and TV broadcasters stop programming to conduct their Emergency Alert System (EAS) test. "This is a test. This is only a test..." (I still have memorized the monthly test announcement I did as a broadcaster on a TV station in Georgia many years ago...that and the Boy Scout Law.)

This week in Alaska, though, the EAS test will be different. A full-blown EAS exercise is being conducted. FEMA, the FCC, the State of Alaska, and Alaska Broadcasters' Association will participate.

"This particular test is going to use the real code as if there was a national-level emergency and the president needed to talk to the American public. It's going to use the actual code that would be used during a national emergency," said Bryan Fisher, Chief of Operations at the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

The EAN is a code sent to broadcaster EAS equipment when a Presidential alert is issued. The code alerts broadcasters to an impending message from the White House, signaling them to follow activation procedures from the operating handbook. Once issued, programming is interrupted, EAS header codes are transmitted, attention signals are generated, and the monitoring source is selected that is carrying the Presidential message. Broadcasters are required to conduct weekly and monthly tests of EAS equipment, but the EAN originating from the President has never actually been tested. Based on reports, officials are planning a nationwide test some time next year.

In a FEMA press release, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said, “The Alaska exercise will help determine how to further improve the nation’s alerting system and better prepare us in our ongoing efforts to implement Next Generation EAS." The Governor of Alaska called "an excellent proving ground" the exercise.

Digitizing and expanding EAS is one of the initiatives FEMA and the FCC are involved in under FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) program.

All the best,

Rick

Top Ten Notification & Alerts Predictions for 2010

2010-01-01T06:16:00.000-06:00

Now, it's time to look ahead. Our recent post provided Top 10 Developments in Alerts & Notifications in 2009. Below are our top ten predictions for 2010. You'll see familiar themes, some not so pleasant. Generally speaking, we believe a transition is underway. More significant shifts are occurring today than when someone figured out digital maps could be used to target notifications via telephone. It's a slow-moving transition, but we believe we'll see more signs of it in 2010.

1. Move from proprietary, stand-alone systems to highly-integrated systems: In our 2009 retrospective, we cited examples of momentum for the system-of-systems approach. More examples will become clear throughout 2010. The technology is certainly available, and public safety officials want it. Money will be a barrier, but it doesn't take bright politicians to know that if they don't spend it to enhance alerts and notifications, they'll leave their citizens exposed. This prediction really needs to come true.

2. CAP will continue to take hold: The Common Alerting Protocol is an agreed-upon standard for disparate notification and alerting systems to share their messages. CAP has been slow to catch on. Some key vendors still don't support it. But, a tipping point will occur in 2010. More public safety officials will require it, and more vendors will support it.

3. IPAWS will become more visible: FEMA's Integrated Alerting and Warning System has been quietly working to develop a better national system for alerts. This work will become better known in 2010. It must. IPAWS was blasted in 2009 by Congress's General Accounting Office for failure to show results and effectively collaborate with local and state officials. The new FEMA Director is a state and local emergency management pro and is supportive of IPAWS. The new IPAWS program manager sounds aggressive. You'll hear more from IPAWS, and hopefully IPAWS will hear more from you.

4. New industry leaders will begin to emerge: With so much going on in the alerts and notifications space, there's room for new industry leadership. We'll start seeing who those new leaders will be. At least one, maybe two, well-known brands will disappear.

5. A highly-visible failure will occur: Unfortunately, it's simply time for it to happen. It will likely occur in a heavily populated area where the communications infrastructure breaks down from overload. Ability to deliver high-speed alerts via the telephone and texting system hasn't kept up. This will be a surprise to many.

6. Growth in the use of social media for alerts and warnings: It's already happening, and will continue to happen. There will be those in both industry and emergency management who will fight it. Others will seize it.

7. Further commoditization of notifications including "free services": Several text-based public safety notification offerings made available at no charge were unveiled last year. This will continue in 2010. Some could build significant steam.

8. More procurements for independent help: As the topic becomes more complex, local governments will rely less on vendor claims and more on help from outside consultants. We've seen more procurements of this type in the last few months than we have in years.

9. More patent lawsuits: Two notification-related vendors recently went on the offensive against their competition and filed patent infringement lawsuits. These things normally come in groups. There will probably be others.

10. Other large-scale systems announced: Several large cities and counties, and a couple of states, announced roll-out of aggressive alerting and notification systems. Others will follow.

We'll soon release a video elaborating on the Top Ten Notification & Alerts Predictions for 2010. Watch the blog for more details, or email us at info@galainsolutions.com.

On a personal note, we're excited about 2010. Challenges face us all, but good things are happening, too. Our following on this blog continues to grow. We're getting good reaction from it, even from those who don't agree with us. That's fine with us, even encouraged. Our consulting practice thrives, on both the notifications side and on the selling to the government side. We're enjoying our work, and are deeply appreciative for the opportunities we've been given. We wish the same for you.

All the best in 2010,

Rick & Lorin

Top 10 Developments in Alerts & Notifications in 2009

2009-12-28T05:00:00.001-06:00

In our many years in the alerts and notifications field, we don't recall a year when there's been so much movement, transition, and even confusion. The whole topic is changing. So, here's our list of Top Ten Developments in Alerts and Notifications in 2009:

1. System-of-Systems Momentum: To us, the most significant development of 2009 was momentum developing over a system-of-systems approach for alerts and notifications. During the year, it became more clear that end-users and industry are waking up to the fact that no single approach will do the job. There are many reasons for the realization. One of the most important is the evolution of individual communication preferences. There are clear signs of the momentum. In fact, no fewer than five of the items on our Top Ten list support the system-of-systems concept. Other signs include growth of the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and announcement of technology partnerships by various vendors. (See "Showcasing Alerting Standards", "Meshing Alerts & Notifications with Other Solutions" and "Interesting Emergency Notification Partnerships Developing".) When we release our 2010 predictions in a few days, you'll see more on the system-of-systems topic.

2. CMAS Clock Starts Ticking: The timetable officially began this year for building a national cellular alerting system. FEMA and the FCC unveiled technical specifications for part of the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS). (See "CMAS Specifications Released", "Another Step for National Cell Alerting", and "National Cell Alerting Moves Forward".) If this doesn't seem important to you, then imagine this: a federal program through which most cell phones will receive emergency messages depending on their current location. Even people from outside the area who happen to be passing through could receive the messages. The system could be activated by local public safety officials for imminent threats or Amber Alerts. (The President could also use the system.) With the technical specifications approved in December, cell carriers now have 28 months to re-tool their infrastructure and make mobile devices support CMAS. This is a volunteer program for cell carriers, but most of them have already said they'll participate. Otherwise, new laws would give subscribers an "out" from their cellular service contracts.

3. IPAWS Criticized: The federal government's Intergrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) was criticized by Congress's General Accounting Office (GAO). (See "GAO Testimony Blasts IPAWS Program for Lack of Movement & Results"). The GAO audit cited weaknesses of the Emergency Alert System (EAS), lackluster pilot results, and poor collaboration. New IPAWS management testified in a Congressional hearing, accepted the criticsm, and pointed to signs of progress.

4. Social Media Buzz Spreads: Emergency management professionals throughout the country started talking about whether they should, and how they can, use social media for emergency alerting. Some have taken the plunge. Denver, for example. Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube are all used. (See "Emergency Notification & Social Media"). A "Random Hacks of Kindness" event was held, and keynoted by the new FEMA Director. It was to bring together disaster relief and software engineers to work toward dealing with social media and emergency response issues, including alerting. (See "Random Hacks of Kindness"). The UN Foundation recently released a report on social media and emergency response, including for alerting. (See "Report Released: New Technologies in Emergencies and Conflicts"). Heck, we even did a post on using electronic games to issue emergency alerts. (See "Emergency Alerts Through Gaming Consoles").

5. Fire Code Redefines Mass Notification: The fire code is omnipotent in the US. However, it has been only loosely associated with what emergency management and alerts/notifications industry people know as emergency and mass notification. That changed in 2009. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) approved changes in the fire code that broaden the definition beyond in-building alerts to "wide area" and "distributed recipient notification"...in other words to notify those on networks that originate from the building and those in the surrounding community. (See "Mass Notification Redefined").

6. Patent Lawsuits Filed: Two companies sued competitors over use of notification/alerting patents. Techradium sued Twitter, then filed suit against a number of other companies involved in notifications and alerts. (See "Notification Company Sues Twitter" and "Notification Companies Sued") Twenty-First Century Communications (TFCC) vollied back saying "It appears that Techradium, a small participant in the crowded field of mass notifications, is trying to use litigation to leverage its competitors into licensing its narrow and limited patents". (See "Twenty First Century Communications Responds to Techradium Patent Suit"). Later in the year, Cooper Notification, Inc filed patent infringement lawsuits against Twitter and Rave Wireless.

7. San Diego Notification Study Released: While buzz spread over new modes of alerting and notifying, a scientific study conducted for FEMA by Oak Ridge National Laboratories pointed back to a traditional mode of notification. (See "New Study Gives Telephone Notifications High Marks") The report showed that most residents within the path of approaching 2007 wildfires in San Diego County received their initital notifications from automated telephone calling systems. The total percentage amounted to 47%. The next highest was a distant 7%. The study also showed that evacuees didn't leave their homes simply because of the telephone calls. Most waited for confirmation from television or personal acquaintances.

8. Large-Scale Systems Announced: Several states and large communities announced more aggressive notification and alerting programs. Connecticut announced a calling and text messaging program, accompanied by an aggressive roll-out campaign. (See "State Plans 'Major Kick Off' of Notification Program") Pennsylvania announced a text messaging program. (See "Another State Announces Statewide Notification Program") California conitinued to plug away on its more aggressive alerting program, despite money troubles. (See "Statewide Notification Plan Stifled By...Guess What") Los Angeles County announced a calling and texting notification program. (See "Nation's Largest County Tackles Notification") And, New York City released a Request for Proposal for a citywide notification program.

9. Complex Topic Becomes More Complex: Do a web search of "emergency notification" and you'll find well over a hundred vendors serving the field. Many claim to be leaders. Add to this evolving communications preferences, imminent threats, advancing technology, and demanding budgets and you've got still more confusion. In 2009, government organizations reached out for help navigating the maze. Several procurement actions were released seeking independent help. (See "Alerts and Notifications. Help!")

10. Alerts and Notifications Blog Launched: OK, this one is a bit self-serving. In 2009, Emergency Management magazine launched a web site to go along with its award-winning publications. We were asked to blog regularly on the topic of alerts and notifications. Considering our "activisim" (as one federal contractor called it) on the topic, we gladly accepted. We have been pleased, even surprised, at the response. Perhaps this is becoming a forum for an increasingly complex topic. We hope the blog will become more interactive. We encourage comments and suggestions. (Perhaps reaching that goal can be on our Top Ten List for 2010.)

Please, let us know what you think of the list. Did we miss anything? What did we include that you believe doesn't belong on the list? Meantime, look for our post beginning on New Years Day of our Top Ten Alerts & Notifications Predictions of 2010.

Happy Holidays, and best of wishes for a safe, happy and productive 2010.

All the best,

Rick and Lorin

Another State Announces Statewide Notification Program

2009-12-22T17:49:00.003-06:00

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has joined several other states by announcing a statewide alerting program. Called AlertPA, residents can sign up to receive messages via text, email, and pager. (Delivery through telephone calls is not an option currently offered by AlertPA.)

Governor Ed Rendell's press release said, "Emergency alerts include information on incidents involving toxic chemicals, nuclear power plants, failure of large dams and other urgent situations. Other types of alerts include weather, warnings, public health notifications, airport delays, consumer product recalls, prison notifications and more."

Other states offering comparable services are New York, Connecticut, California, and Montana.

The vendor proving the AlertPA system is Cooper Notification. Cooper recently filed patent lawsuits against Twitter, Rave Wireless, Inc. and Everbridge, Inc - all three companies with significant buzz in the notification space. The patent in question concerns use of multiple gateways for delivering messages.

All the best,

Rick

Next-Generation ENS Part III: Moving from Single-entity to Multi-jurisdictional Control

2009-12-11T15:49:00.023-06:00

Emergency notification systems of the recent past were almost exclusively acquired and used by single agencies. Earlier in the decade, it was not uncommon to see Emergency Management using one system, Police or Fire using another, and Public Works using yet another. Typically, there was no attempt at collaboration between agencies (that’s putting it mildly). Even within the same department, different systems may have existed in separate locations.

Although this is still the situation in many municipalities, a growing trend is developing around breaking the traditional ENS boundaries. As such, next-generation systems will move from being single-entity controlled to highly-networked, multi-agency controlled.

Why the move?

First, since 9/11, interoperability has been the industry buzz word. The tragic lessons of that day taught us that communication silos are dangerous, both to the public and to first responders. While interoperability is still a term used most frequently in describing radio systems, the change in thinking surrounding this issue has spilled over into other areas including emergency notification. Walls are being broken down.

Second, the technology has changed. Ten years ago, systems were isolated, hardware-based solutions, residing inside operations centers, and typically attached to dedicated telephone lines. While there are still plenty of these around (and arguments can still be made for taking this approach), the movement today is toward an Internet-based, software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, with no software or hardware residing in the EOC at all. In the future, such a model will be pervasive. And, emergency notification will be but one configurable "module" within a wider, more robust online incident management suite.

Third, funding mechanisms are changing. Years ago, grant restrictions were set up to encourage capital expenditures and hardware acquisition, and to discourage monthly "service fees." As desired solution delivery is changing to a SaaS approach, so are certain funding limitations.

So what does this mean for emergency managers?

First, the breadth and depth of communications across boundaries will continue to grow. A coordinated response is clearly best, and IP-based tools (including emergency notification) that aid in this will mature. Learning to use these effectively and collaboratively will be of high priority.

Second, operating policies will become more complex. Determining who has the authority and responsibility for launching a public alert through a multi-jurisdictional system can be tricky in the heat of battle. Policies and procedures must be clearly outlined, and users across differing cultures and geographic areas must be trained to understand them. Also, solution functions such as security, administrative management and reporting see heightened importance.

Third, multi-jurisdictional funding arrangements will become more common-place (and more complex). When multiple agencies are tapping a central resource, the question of proper and equitable funding always arises. Inter-agency deals will need to be crafted to allow for cost sharing across disparate departments.

While the move to a more connected, multi-jurisdictional approach to notification is not without its challenges, the benefits appear to outweigh the problems. NG ENS will help facilitate a more integrated and interoperable approach to notifying the public and first responders.

What do you think? Do you know of success stories relating to multi-jurisdictional deployments of ENS? Let us know. We'd love to hear from you.

All the best,

-Lorin

To receive a comprehensive Galain Solutions white paper: "Notifications Alerts & Warnings, The Next Generation" go to http://galainsolutions.com/resources.html.

Galain Solutions, LLC
www.galainsolutions.com