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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.


Missing Person Alert Jargon: Ashanti, Ian, and Turquoise
When we take a look at the most prevalent WEA messages, the #1 type, following those issued by the National Weather Service for...

Jeannette Sutton
Jul 24


Protest Activity WEA - an effective public safety warning?
Just after 6:00 PM on Sunday, June 8, the Los Angeles Police Department used the IPAWS system to issue a Wireless Emergency Alert to a...

Jeannette Sutton
Jun 9


WEA, EAS, Levi and AMBER Alerts
If you’re going to write an EAS message, why not use that same content to write a WEA? Recently, I saw a WEA that was issued for an...

Jeannette Sutton
May 20


BOLO... for what? This is why people opt out.
One of the advantages of Wireless Emergency Alerts is their ability to alert people, without requiring them to opt in, and to do so in a...

Jeannette Sutton
Apr 27


Completing the communication loop with a post-alert message
There are a few reasons that really stand out about why an alert originator of public safety communicator could choose to send a...

Jeannette Sutton
Mar 6


The Blue Alert that woke the entire state of Texas
This message got a LOT of unwanted attention on October 7, 2024 after it was issued to the entire state of Texas at 4:53am. Reading...

Jeannette Sutton
Nov 4, 2024


All Clear Messages and Active Shooters
All clear messages are designed to do one thing: let people know that the event has concluded and they are safe to return or resume...

Jeannette Sutton
Aug 6, 2024


A Well-constructed Message for a Missing Endangered Adult
Did you know that there are at least 50 different types of missing persons messages/categories in effect across the United States. FIFTY!...

Jeannette Sutton
Jul 15, 2024


"Armed man wanted for homicides" is NOT a help-wanted advertisement
The editor has been away from her desk for a bit, but we've started to notice friends and colleagues who are implementing The Warn Room...

Jeannette Sutton
Jun 27, 2024


A revised law enforcement message that is complete and consistent
We've written about law enforcement messages in the past, showing how they can be "tricky" to write about because of the uncertainty of...

Jeannette Sutton
Apr 25, 2024


A concise law enforcement message
Law enforcement messaging is tricky. Do you include content about the nature of the law enforcement activity? Do you give details about...

Jeannette Sutton
Apr 18, 2024


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


Law enforcement notifications and message consistency.
When WEA was first initiated, messages addressed imminent and actionable threats, requiring public response to increase the safety of a...

Jeannette Sutton
Dec 6, 2023


Law Enforcement warning and all-clear
A series of messages about law enforcement activity. The Warning Gallery has many examples of incomplete warning messages that would...

Jeannette Sutton
Jun 10, 2023


ALL CAPS = SCREAMING
BOLO sent 4/21/23 WHEN YOU WANT TO GET ATTENTION, SOMETIMES IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO SCREAM. Sometimes, getting ATTENTION can be as simple as...

Jeannette Sutton
Apr 20, 2023
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