In this episode of The Alerting Authority, hosts Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola speak with one of the most influential researchers in the field of public warning systems: Dr. Michele Wood. As a core member of the team that developed the original Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) — now known as WEA (Wireless Emergency Alerts) — Dr. Wood brings unparalleled insight into how alerts are created, delivered, interpreted, and acted upon by the public.

Together, we explore the history of WEA, the evidence behind message length and content, how people understand alerts during crises, and the psychology behind protective action decision-making. Dr. Wood breaks down major findings from decades of research, including household preparedness studies, alert comprehension data, and lessons learned from disasters and national field tests.

Whether you're an emergency manager, communicator, researcher, public health leader, or technology developer, this conversation offers essential insights into what makes alerts effective, what causes failure, and how agencies can improve safety outcomes through better message design and communication strategies.

Stay tuned as we also discuss over-alerting, public trust, behavioral response, and the future of digital emergency communication.

Sponsored by HQE Solutions — a leader in IPAWS alerting, public safety technology, and emergency messaging innovation.
Learn more at: https://www.hqesolutions.com

In this episode of The Alerting Authority, hosts Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola welcome one of the world’s leading experts in disaster communication and public warning behavior: Dr. John Sorensen. With decades of research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory—including studies on Three Mile Island, nuclear emergencies, chemical stockpile response, reverse 911 systems, and major wildfire evacuations—Dr. Sorensen has helped shape how emergency managers understand why people do and do not take protective action during crises.

We dive deep into the Mileti Model, PADM (Protective Action Decision Model), and the factors that influence real-world behavior when an alert goes out. Dr. Sorensen shares firsthand insights from field deployments, national-level studies, and community-level evacuations—revealing what actually works (and what often fails) in public warning.

Whether you work in emergency management, public safety, crisis communication, or disaster science, this conversation provides valuable lessons on message design, trust, human behavior, and the future of alerts and warnings.

This episode is sponsored by HQE Solutions, a leader in IPAWS, alerting technology, and public warning innovation.
Learn more at https://www.hqesolutions.com

In this compelling episode, hosts Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola take listeners behind the scenes of real-world Wireless Emergency Alerts — including a recent missing teen case in Pea Ridge, Arkansas — to show how evidence-based message design can directly support effective public safety outcomes.

Together, they break down:
• The difference training makes in high-stakes alert messaging
• Why many WEAs still lack critical information
• How the Message Design Dashboard improves quality and consistency
• A side-by-side comparison of a weak alert vs. a complete, research-based alert
• How post-alert “closure messages” build trust and reduce strain on 911 centers
• Real community outcomes when alerts are done right

Plus: Eddie shares a firsthand account from a recent local search, including how the Pea Ridge Police Department used structured messaging to quickly locate a missing teen with help from the community.

This is an essential episode for alerting authorities, emergency managers, public information officers, dispatch personnel, law enforcement, and anyone who communicates during critical events.

👉 Tune in, subscribe, and share — your participation helps make our communities safer.

Special thanks to our sponsor, HQE Systems, a veteran-owned alert origination and life-safety technology provider.