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Read. Understand. Apply.
The Warn Room blogs apply 70 years of research to the practice of alerts and warnings. We show how evidence-based changes to message content, style, and structure can create more effective warnings.
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An incomplete LOCKDOWN message for law enforcement activity
Law enforcement messages with instructions to lockdown are HARD to write. Especially when you have limited time and need people to take...

Jeannette Sutton
Mar 11, 2024


5-Star Wildfire Warning during dire conditions
Wildfires and fire weather are arguably some of the most difficult events to communicate about and to effectively guide people to safely....

Jeannette Sutton
Mar 6, 2024


Writing for your audience: when being understated is the norm
On February 20, 2024, a resident of the city of Plymouth, London, UK was digging in their garden and found an unexploded ordinance (UXO)...

Jeannette Sutton
Mar 4, 2024


"All clear" messaging; emphasizing event resolution
We frequently get questions about 'what conditions warrant a follow-up WEA' and 'what content should those messages include'? In...

Jeannette Sutton
Feb 28, 2024


Private Sector WEA messages? Yes, it's a thing.
On November 19, 2023, Adams County, CO issued a WEA on behalf of Suncor refinery on a Sunday morning at 4:32 am. It blasted phones...

Jeannette Sutton
Feb 26, 2024


Be prepared to evacuate for flooding
Some hazards, like hurricanes, wildfires, and atmospheric rivers, offer risk communicators the gift of time to prepare their constituents...

Jeannette Sutton
Feb 8, 2024


The importance of templates for active shooter messages
When we poll emergency managers and other public safety risk communicators about the threats that create the greatest anxiety for...

Jeannette Sutton
Feb 6, 2024


The importance of plain language and instruction
Plain language makes it easier for the public to read, understand, and use government communications. Its wording, structure, and design...

Jeannette Sutton
Feb 1, 2024


Incomplete messages leave room for improvement
Incomplete messages lack key details that message receivers NEED and want in order to understand what is being communicated. In this...

Jeannette Sutton
Jan 29, 2024


Do NOT travel messaging in Winter Storms.
The December 2022 winter storm in New York affected more than just Erie County and the city of Buffalo. While Erie and Buffalo bore the...

Jeannette Sutton
Jan 18, 2024


5-Star Winter Storm Messaging
In 2022, Erie County and the city of Buffalo experienced a catastrophic winter storm at the height of the Christmas holiday, resulting in...

Jeannette Sutton
Jan 16, 2024


Surf's UP, but stay OUT.
There's a lot of good things to say about this message sent by the Office of Response, Recovery, and Resilience; but there are also a few...

Jeannette Sutton
Jan 12, 2024


Silver Alerts and JARGON
It may come as little surprise that WEA is frequently used by law enforcement to issue alerts for missing and endangered persons (MEP). ...

Jeannette Sutton
Jan 10, 2024


Shelter in Place; completing the message
The messages shared here are real. If you are a reader of The Warn Room, you know that this is representative of WEAS that we see...

Jeannette Sutton
Jan 8, 2024


Scary Messages - motivating behavior with persuasive language
There has been a long and ongoing discussion about how "scary" a message should be to motivate behavior. Some argue that people need to...

Jeannette Sutton
Dec 22, 2023


Bridge Closed - Find Alternate Route
We routinely see messages for roads that are closed using WEA. This is primarily within the states of Texas and Georgia and they are...

Jeannette Sutton
Dec 20, 2023


Punctuation and Abbreviation - suggestions to improve readability
WEA 2.0 made it possible to devlier messages with 360 characters, yet we frequently find that message writers don't make use of all that...

Jeannette Sutton
Dec 18, 2023


What is the hazard and why should I follow your advice?
Before posting this WEA to the Warning Gallery, the editors tried to revise the message, but were stumped. Without significant effort to...

Jeannette Sutton
Dec 15, 2023


The Problem with ALL CAPS MESSAGES
Messages delivered in ALL CAPS have a problem. Writing in ALL CAPS may seem like a reasonable strategy to get people's attention...

Jeannette Sutton
Dec 13, 2023


WEA is one of many ways to alert. What's your backup plan?
2023 has included a number if significant chemical releases associated with train derailments. While the East Palenstine, OH event...

Jeannette Sutton
Dec 11, 2023
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