Communicating the Emergency: Preliminary findings on the elements of an effective public warning message

Published

April 4, 2011

Author(s)

Erica D. Kuligowski

Abstract

When an emergency occurs, it is not always sufficient to simply initiate alarm bells. Individuals may not know what the alarm bell means and, in turn, respond inappropriately to its sound. Many buildings have installed mass notification or emergency communication systems allowing for the dissemination of information in the event of an emergency. However, there is a lack of guidance on how to use current emergency communication systems effectively. Especially with the development of newer technologies such a mobile devices or social networking tools, guidance on message content and dissemination is crucial to ensure effective and safe response of building occupants during an emergency. This paper presents preliminary research findings from an ongoing project specifically aimed at identifying appropriate emergency message content and dissemination techniques for various types of emergencies in U.S. buildings and building campuses. The paper ends with a discussion of the cultural differences that may complicate these U.S.-based findings, hopefully prompting emergency managers in others countries to begin to identify the vulnerabilities within their communities and ways to improve public response in emergencies through effective emergency communication.

Proceedings Title

Emergency Evacuation of People from Buildings

Conference Dates

March 31-April 1, 2011

Conference Location

Warsaw

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

emergency communication, public warnings, buidling fires, emergencies

Citation

Kuligowski, E. (2011), Communicating the Emergency: Preliminary findings on the elements of an effective public warning message, Emergency Evacuation of People from Buildings, Warsaw, -1 (Accessed May 5, 2026)

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