Emergency Alerts Through Wireless Score High with People with Disabilities

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