<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[The Warn Room]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Warn Room]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:23:50 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.thewarnroom.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Unfamiliar threats follow the same warning format; even alerts for Rabid Skunks.  ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Are you prepared to issue a message for an unusual threat such as a dangerous animal?  Every now and then we find a WEA that is sent for an unfamiliar hazard, such as a bear in a populated area, an aggressive moose, or a cat or skunk with rabies.  They represent the kind of message that is urgent with potentially severe consequences, but they probably aren't part of most organizations' message libraries.  Should they be?   I don't think it's possible to have ALL threats in your templates, but...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/unfamiliar-threats-follow-the-same-warning-format-even-alerts-for-rabid-skunks</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69d7a926c55f668b53071413</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:59:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_caeaed666aea4d8d90637ef0a3e06984~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[TEST... TEST... TEST]]></title><description><![CDATA[During the month of March, states throughout the U.S. recognized severe weather awareness week by conducting tornado drills.  These included Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan; in at least one state, the statewide tornado drill was cancelled (Missouri) and in other states these drills included local tests of the Wireless Emergency Alert system. We collected a bunch of the test messages and thought we’d go on a bit of a road show to see how they compare.  Hop on board and let’s take a look!...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/test-test-test</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69cd5173f7044e6cf7a60dac</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:56:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_d6e9c374d3bb46e9bca70d795439f9c6~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Lifting the evacuation - who do you tell and how?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Determining how to get a message to an evacuated population is a challenge; issuing a complete message can help to reduce message confusion. ]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/lifting-the-evacuation-who-do-you-tell-and-how</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69aaed2d48ed77c778267d5c</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><category><![CDATA[Reflections]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:31:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_3490f881a044487bb64f89c055a30d8b~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A well-written, plain-language Missing Person Alert]]></title><description><![CDATA[A plain language missing person alert This is a really well-written alert.    Let me show you have it conforms to the best guidance we have on how to write an actionable missing person alert.  It begins with the source of the message: VBALERT.  This is an acronym (it also appears like a branded alert name), however, at the end of the message we also see the organization clearly named. This is followed by the incident type (aka hazard from the Warning Response Model). The incident type is...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/a-well-written-plain-language-missing-person-alert</link><guid isPermaLink="false">698e20498879a928a5a874cc</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:00:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_5975dd829b5e4109a50fd4451ec8c6ab~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[It's time to apply evidence-based guidance to MEP alerts. ]]></title><description><![CDATA[An EBONY alert Recent research on effective Missing and Endangered Person (MEP) alerts  has identified how to name the incident and how to structure a message to be most effective at helping message receivers to understand and respond to messages.  When we consider MEP messages in relation to more general alerts and warnings, they follow the same structure as those warnings that are issued for all hazards.   They should always contain the following CONTENTS: The name of the message source The...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/it-s-time-to-apply-evidence-based-guidance-to-mep-alerts</link><guid isPermaLink="false">698e1f11e46957565bf50a7c</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:46:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_c850da90090f4b3687e7511056926ac8~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A little TEST message can go a long way...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Required Weekly Test IPAWS users are required to regularly test their user proficiency by sending an alert that is issued to users who have opted in to receive them.  This is also a great opportunity to demonstrate the type of test message that could be issued during a live test in a community - one that is announced ahead of time, organized with community members, and publicized by the media.  These live tests have the added benefit, if done correctly, of growing system awareness and...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/a-little-test-message-can-go-a-long-way</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6983ca001e55646770013ae6</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:40:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_875139e8c4104e58b9660cffc33d88c3~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Warming Centers Open for all who are in need]]></title><description><![CDATA[Issuing alerts about warming centers should be easy to understand and accessible for all. ]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/warming-centers-open-for-all-who-are-in-need</link><guid isPermaLink="false">696e288f3d420427946f7405</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:36:44 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_75101aaaf74a4530bf71b9b632b29cd6~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Missing person alert types: 40+ and Counting]]></title><description><![CDATA[There are now more than 40 named alerts for missing and endangered persons across the United States.  These messages are specific to individual states, and are commonly accompanied by state legislation to identify a vulnerable population that was not previously highlighted in missing persons messages.  For instance, Arizona recently initiated the "Turquoise Alert" described this way : A Turquoise Alert program establishes a notification system that provides immediate information to the public...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/missing-person-alert-types-40-and-counting</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695ae212564ad52a95959fe8</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:31:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_642264a9558d44c990606f54df8d06af~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[90-Character messages lead to milling...we've studied it, we've seen it, so why do it? ]]></title><description><![CDATA[When we first began to study public responses to Wireless Emergency Alerts in 2012, we immediately saw significant issues with alerts that were limited to 90-characters.  Study participants indicated that these messages could not contain enough information to act upon, so instead of leading them to protect themselves, it led to them to search for more information ( see Bean et al. 2016 ).  Information search to confirm the message is trustworthy and requires action is commonly described as...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/90-character-messages-lead-to-milling-we-ve-studied-it-we-ve-seen-it-so-why-do-it</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695abf6a582148ae560261b0</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 14:47:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_0f6309788eba40a38a4323705de88689~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Self-reflections on testifying before congress]]></title><description><![CDATA[This post is a bit different from the rest; Here I share my personal reflections on the invitation to speak to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Communication and Technology  on December 16, 2025.  Jeannette Sutton, PhD, preparing to respond to a comment from a house committee member. THE LEAD UP Early in the week, I received an email from a staffer for the Subcommittee, asking if I would share my thoughts on some of the bills they would be discussing in their...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/self-reflections-on-testifying-before-congress</link><guid isPermaLink="false">694948113167c574f9b6ec84</guid><category><![CDATA[Reflections]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:03:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_2ce49a93b48a4a1693052301bc86522a~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Flood Warnings and Technical Language]]></title><description><![CDATA[Much of the time that I have written about language inconsistency and the use of jargon in messages, it has been focused on WILDFIRE.  Many previous posts to the Warning Gallery have pointed to the use of operational and technical language (Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 or Ready status, Set status, Go status) that has more meaning to responders and commanders than to the public.  In fact, we’ve published about the use of inconsistent language in the National Fire Protection Association...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/flood-warnings-and-technical-language</link><guid isPermaLink="false">693c0affc5a82c28b60725fa</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:34:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_473ee46a4c5c45c6b1b6a2d17321e8a9~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Over-Alerting: Episode 6]]></title><description><![CDATA[CONTENT! Over-alerting is not just about frequency and relevancy. It's also about what you include in the message.  Over the past few weeks, I've been writing about the dimensions of over-alerting that  Michele M Wood   and I defined in our recently published paper  Opting Out: Over Alerting in the Era of Wireless Emergency Alerts .   The one final dimension is CONTENT.  Our study participants explained that messages that are incomplete, incomprehensible, and not actionable, they fall into...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/over-alerting-episode-6</link><guid isPermaLink="false">691a0510560695af7d2e6167</guid><category><![CDATA[Reflections]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 18:12:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_f302b802638d4adfa0e05013c0424fb5~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Over-Alerting: Episode 5]]></title><description><![CDATA[FALSE ALERTS So far, relevance has focused on alerts that require action ‍♀️‍➡️ (they are urgent, severe, and certain), alerts that you can actually do something about  (as in, not told to shelter inside when it's the middle of the night), and alerts that are geographically specific  (you're in the area of the threat and the threat is near you). Today, we'll be talking about that one historical event that is seared into the minds around the world. THE FALSE ALERT.  False alerts can...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/over-alerting-episode-5</link><guid isPermaLink="false">691a03c84f3bcdf7518322bd</guid><category><![CDATA[Reflections]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 01 Dec 2025 18:06:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_f7280208e7444f90b9495c9129d0c25c~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Over-Alerting: Episode 4]]></title><description><![CDATA[GEOGRAPHY In our  research on over-alerting , we found scholars who wrote about the issues of mis-located alerts, polygons, and how geography affects public perceptions of message relevance.   In the paper by Sara McBride, Ann Bostrom, et al on earthquake early warnings ,  they pointed to mis-located alerts as a risk related to technology - that is, when technological issues result in alerts going to places where people don't feel shaking.  They can be perceived as over-alerting because the...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/over-alerting-episode-4</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6919fdee3f4df44539f1c92e</guid><category><![CDATA[Reflections]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 27 Nov 2025 18:07:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_ad78d0f824e44c8786e006fd6a3121ef~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Over-Alerting: Episode 3]]></title><description><![CDATA[RELEVANCY Earlier this week, in Episode 2, I wrote about the first part of over-alerting, where our research participants described the problem with alert frequency. In Episode 3, I'm going to write about RELEVANCE. This one has a lot of dimensions, and I won't cover them all right now. If you want to read the open access article, click here Sutton J. &#38; Wood, M. (2025) Opting Out. Relevancy  was defined broadly by our research participants as 						 "things that affect them." In other words -...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/over-alerting-episode-3</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6919fb4280f146b984de45c9</guid><category><![CDATA[Reflections]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2025 18:19:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_3d0e423b1de8489385fed93191dc63fd~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Over-Alerting: Episode 2]]></title><description><![CDATA[The first dimension of over-alerting:  FREQUENCY In our recently published article on Over-Alerting ,  Michele Wood and I found three primary dimensions to describe over-alerting:   1. frequency 2. relevance 3. content Beginning with FREQUENCY, we found it was described in multiple ways.   1️⃣ To start, we need to consider how frequently a person's phone lights up, vibrates, or emits a noise to get your attention in general. We live in an "attention economy" and one study we cited said adults...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/over-alerting-episode-2</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6919f6d076759c02a864a56a</guid><category><![CDATA[Reflections]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:07:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_cb7ffd06e33141c9aaa1e18b91d587c0~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Over-Alerting Series: Episode 1 ]]></title><description><![CDATA[An Introduction. Just over a year ago, the RAND Corporation published their report  assessing public reach of Wireless Emergency Alerts. What stood out to me was not who emergency managers ARE reaching but who they are NOT. In many cases, this can be attributed to OPTING OUT. (25-30% in Texas alone). How do we make sense of this?   My colleague,   Michele M Wood   and I received funding from the US Geological Survey to investigate why people opt out of emergency alerts (if you recall, USGS...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/over-alerting-series-episode-1</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6919f3db80f146b984de35f5</guid><category><![CDATA[Reflections]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:05:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_57630d54fee042c398353def6b0e8ad4~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A complete message for a chemical fire]]></title><description><![CDATA[Chemical fires are frightening.  They represent a sort of "dread risk" that raises concerns about not only short term impacts but...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/a-complete-message-for-a-chemical-fire</link><guid isPermaLink="false">690110ac32709233583111db</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2025 15:31:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_8d4cba99ca764fa598c93ffad47d0af5~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Over-alerting: Incomplete, inconsistent, and not actionable ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Recently, my colleague Dr. Michele Wood and I published a paper that defines and identifies dimensions of over-alerting.   While some of...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/over-alerting-incomplete-inconsistent-and-not-actionable</link><guid isPermaLink="false">690110ac327092335831120f</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2025 18:54:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b0a00b_004f715f5d8545f3a4ff7adc070bc75a~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Closing the Communication Loop: thoughts about campus alerting]]></title><description><![CDATA[When people have been told to protect themselves by taking shelter; when the conditions are highly uncertain; when the threat holds a...]]></description><link>https://www.thewarnroom.com/post/closing-the-communication-loop-thoughts-about-campus-alerting</link><guid isPermaLink="false">690110ac32709233583111fb</guid><category><![CDATA[Warning Gallery]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 29 Aug 2025 16:08:14 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>Jeannette Sutton</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>