The Alerting Authority

The Alerting Authority is a podcast dedicated to improving how we warn the public when seconds matter. Hosted by Jeanette Sutton , a leading researcher in public alerts and warnings, and Eddie Bertola , an expert in emergency communications technology, the show brings together practitioners, policymakers, technologists, and thought leaders shaping the future of public alerting. Each episode dives deep into real-world challenges behind creating, issuing, and delivering life-saving alerts. From Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to IPAWS implementation, crisis messaging, public behavior, and alerting policy, the hosts explore what works, what fails, and why. Rather than focusing solely on tools or software, The Alerting Authority examines the “human side” of emergency communication—decision-making under pressure, message design, training gaps, coordination across agencies, and the psychology of how people interp

The Alerting Authority is a society podcast hosted by Eddie Bertola and Jeannette Sutton, with 48 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Eddie Bertola and Jeannette Sutton hosts The Alerting Authority, a society show with 48 episodes published.

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  Episode #47

  Why People Ignore Emergency Warnings — Even When They Understand Them

  Oct 1, 20261h 3mS1

  Why do people make the wrong decision during an emergency — even when they understand the warning? On this episode of The Alerting Authority, Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola are joined by disaster scholar Dr. DeeDee Bennett Gayle to explore groundbreaking research using virtual reality to study how older adults respond to emergency warnings in real time. Instead of simply asking people what they think they would do during a disaster, researchers placed participants inside virtual emergency scenarios involving a hurricane and a chemical spill — allowing them to observe how people actually seek information, interpret warnings, and decide whether to evacuate or shelter in place. The results raise some fascinating questions. Why do people seek multiple sources before taking action? Why might someone understand an emergency warning but still choose a different protective action? And what can emergency managers do to make alerts and warnings more effective? The conversation explores wireless emergency alerts, the Emergency Alert System, NOAA Weather Radio, television, social media, warning comprehension, risk perception, protective action decision-making, older adults, and the future of virtual reality in emergency preparedness. Because sending the warning is only the beginning. What matters next is whether people know what to do — and actually do it. Subscribe to The Alerting Authority for more conversations about emergency alerts, warnings, risk communication, preparedness, and the people working to make communities safer. #EmergencyManagement #EmergencyAlerts #PublicSafety #DisasterPreparedness #RiskCommunication

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  Episode #46

  Why We Keep Making the Same Mistakes After Weather Disasters

  Sep 24, 20261h 4mS1

  What happens after a devastating weather disaster — and who makes sure we actually learn from it? On this episode of The Alerting Authority, Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola are joined by Jennifer Sprague Hilderbrand and Doug Hilderbrand, co-founders of the American Weather Enterprise Association (AWEA), for a conversation about the future of weather safety, emergency communication, and national policy. They discuss the idea behind a National Weather Safety Board, the importance of studying major disasters to identify what worked and what failed, the future of America's weather infrastructure, and why sustained advocacy matters for emergency managers, meteorologists, researchers, and communities. The conversation also explores the Congressional Weather Enterprise Caucus, aging weather radar infrastructure, alerts and warnings, social science, and the challenge of turning lessons learned after disasters into meaningful improvements before the next emergency. Because when every second counts, learning from the last disaster could help us prepare for the next one. Subscribe to The Alerting Authority for more conversations about emergency alerts, warnings, risk communication, preparedness, and the people working to make communities safer. #EmergencyManagement #Weather #EmergencyAlerts #SevereWeather #PublicSafety

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  Episode #44

  How Do We Know If an Emergency Alert Actually Works? | The Science of Warning Messages

  Sep 17, 202653 minS1

  How do we actually know whether an emergency alert works? In Part 1 of this special two-part episode of The Alerting Authority, Dr. Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola are joined by research scientist Dr. Hugh Walpole for a deep dive into the science behind emergency warning research. Hugh breaks down qualitative vs. quantitative research, experiments, representative sampling, risk perception, and how researchers determine whether changes to an emergency message actually make a difference. But the conversation leads to an even bigger question: Should the success of an emergency alert really be measured by whether people comply? The answer is more complicated than it sounds. The group explores why researchers focus on understanding, belief, personalization, and decision-making—and why getting people to make themselves safe may be a much better goal than simply getting them to “do what they're told.” In this episode: • Qualitative vs. quantitative emergency communication research • How emergency alert experiments actually work • Why representative samples matter • The dangers of relying on anecdotal feedback • The Warning Response Model • What motivates people to take protective action • Why “compliance” can be a misleading metric • How real-world context changes emergency behavior • The ethics of emergency communication research • How better research can lead to better warning messages This is Part 1 of our conversation with Dr. Hugh Walpole. Part 2 will dive into the latest research from Dr. Sutton's lab and content mapping for emergency messages. Subscribe to The Alerting Authority for conversations about emergency alerts, warnings, risk communication, research, policy, and the people working to make communities safer. The Alerting Authority — Every Second Has a Story.

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  Episode #43

  Earthquake Warning: The Seconds That Could Save Your Life

  Sep 10, 202648 minS1

  Earthquakes can strike without warning—but new technology can give you precious seconds to react. In this episode archived of The Alerting Authority , Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola break down USGS ShakeAlert, earthquake early warnings, Wireless Emergency Alerts, and the technology that can warn people before strong shaking arrives. They also examine false earthquake alerts and why fast follow-up communication is critical for maintaining public trust. The episode also revisits the Hawaii false missile alert and research showing why people need corrective information through the same channels that delivered the original warning.

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  Episode #42

  AI Is Changing Emergency Alerts — Are We Ready? | Dr. Jessica Jensen

  Sep 3, 20261h 9mS1

  Artificial intelligence is already changing emergency management — but are we ready to trust it with alerts and warnings? On this episode of The Alerting Authority, Dr. Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola welcome Dr. Jessica Jensen, Senior Policy Researcher at RAND and a national expert in emergency management policy, practice, and research. Dr. Jensen joins the podcast to discuss the newly released AIDE report — AI for Disasters and Emergencies — and what its findings mean for emergency managers, public warning professionals, and organizations exploring the use of artificial intelligence during disasters. The conversation explores where AI can help, where significant questions remain, and why emergency management cannot simply adopt AI tools without understanding how they perform against established research and warning-message standards. One of the biggest takeaways: AI should support emergency management professionals — not replace their expertise. Jeannette and Eddie also discuss the importance of benchmarking AI-generated alerts and warnings, keeping a human in the loop, and ensuring that messages continue to follow evidence-based principles for effective risk and crisis communication. In this episode: • What the AIDE (AI for Disasters and Emergencies) report found • How AI could change emergency management • Using AI to write emergency alerts and warnings • Why benchmarking AI systems matters • The importance of the human in the loop • Risks of relying too heavily on AI-generated messaging • The need for standards and independent evaluation of AI tools • What emergency managers should understand before adopting AI • Where additional research is still needed The Alerting Authority helps organizations strengthen their warning and emergency communication programs through training, message audits, policy assistance, message design, exercises, and real-world guidance. Because “we’ll figure it out when something happens” is not an emergency communication strategy. Subscribe to The Alerting Authority for conversations with researchers, emergency managers, warning experts, and practitioners working to make alerts and warnings more effective. #EmergencyManagement #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #EmergencyAlerts #PublicWarning #CrisisCommunication #DisasterResponse #RiskCommunication #EmergencyCommunications #AIDE

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