Citizens Demand Better Emergency Alerts

Last December, the first big Boston snowstorm of the season socked the city during a weekday afternoon. Officials warned residents of the impending snow emergency and parking ban through automated e-mails and phone calls that conveyed several public-safety reminders.

Indispensable emergency alerts sent via e-mail or text messaging, such as Boston’s “Know Snow” program, are something more constituents are seeking from their cities, according to the results of a new study from CDW•G. For the study, Updating America’s Emergency Alert Infrastructure, CDW•G surveyed more than 1,400 people in 20 of the largest metropolitan areas in the country.

The research shows there is ample room for improvement. Many residents are unfamiliar with their cities’ electronic emergency notification processes and give their cities low marks on ability to alert residents.

Yet most of those polled desire infor-mation, and TV and radio alone won’t cut it. State and local governments must embrace new communication methods, such as text messaging, to quickly push information to recipients regardless of their location.

Emergency Options

15% of all respondents have used text messaging in an emergency. Of this group, 9% have texted during severe weather or a power outage, and 6% during a personal emergency, such as a car accident.

A greater number of young people use text messaging in an emergency. This is particularly true in Florida, which is subject to severe weather. In fact, 56% of respondents age 29 and under in the sunshine state have used text messaging in an emergency.

Changing Habits

Use of text messaging to:

• Get a message to family/friends/co-workers when in a noisy environment
  29 and under - 35%
  All respondents - 27%
• Get a message to someone in a business meeting
  29 and under - 11%
  All respondents - 9%
• Send a quick message not requiring a full conversation
  29 and under - 45%
  All respondents - 38%

Room for Improvement

Almost one-quarter of Bay Area residents know about their city’s emergency alert system, compared with 14 percent of Washington, D.C., residents. Survey respondents also rated the performance of their city between fair and mediocre (there’s definite room for improvement, but at least they try) on its systems. These awareness numbers and weighted averages of the top 10 cities show that even the best-rated cities aren’t as timely in alerting citizens as the public desires and that there’s work to be done in publicizing these capabilities.