TEST... TEST... TEST

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!

First up, we find the message issued in Kentucky. As an observer, I read this as a message calling people to action. It is telling people to take part in the tornado drill.

Curiously, this message is NOT about a test of the Wireless Emergency Alert system. However, there is an interesting line saying "this is only a test" which makes me wonder if receivers understood that the message was a test.

The structure of the message doesn't fit the standards for a WEA message - source, hazard, location, time, guidance. Including the name of the organization at the end provides a clue to who is issuing the message, but I wonder why it says "authority of"?

I'd give this message a passing grade, but it's not optimal. It isn't complete and it's confusing that the alert is notifying people to practice their safety plan as part of a drill (perhaps this was their goal?). Adding in "this is only a test" makes the message inconsistent internally.

Next up, we go to Indiana, where we find a very different approach. Here, Clark Co Emergency Management clearly states TEST ONLY at the beginning of the message. They further explain that the message is a test and it is repeated 4 more times throughout the message.

In fact, there are a LOT of repeated ideas in this message.

1) the source is included three times.

2) there is an emphasis on this being a TEST message (included 5 times)

3) "no action is required" is included twice.

The agency uses CAPS to emphasize TEST ONLY in two places. CAPS are a good strategy in a longer WEA because it helps to break up the text and draws the readers eyes to the key content. In this case, the key is that the message is a TEST of the WEA system.

This message gets a passing grade too. It could be improved by providing additional information about how a Statewide Drill can prompt people to do their own preparations for severe weather or to learn more about Clark County alerts.

Moving on, we hop over to Ohio where Huron County Emergency Management issued a local alert as part of the statewide drill.

This message is very conversational (that's not a bad thing). It politely states that "this is the Huron county Emergency Management Agency conducting a TEST" as part of the drill. What I like is how they connect the WEA test to the Statewide Tornado Drill. They also explain that outdoor warning sirens are also being activated, providing a nice explainer about why sirens are going off at the same time as cell phones. In terms of actions - the alert clearly indicates that no action is required, but this is a great time to review and practice severe weather plans. And finally the message concludes by emphasizing "there is no threat to the area."

This is a good test message. It clearly states the name of the sender, and explains in plain langauge that the test is connected to a statewide drill that will also include sirens. Perhaps adding a link to additional information would increase engagement, but its not necessary without a goal of capturing some sort of information from message receivers.

We also find this one from another location in Ohio. I won't say who it's from and unless you go to warn.pbs, you wont be able to figure it out either.

This is just an all-around poorly written message.

We don't know who it is from, what kind of a test it is (it is a test of the WEA system, presumably), why it is being tested, or what people should do in response. It is a missed opportunity to improve knowledge about tornado safety, the county that issued the message, and how to receive alerts in the future.

And last, we find this message from Michigan. This message clearly indicates the purpose of the message - it is a test of the phone's Wireless Emergency Alert (in other words, it has value to YOU, the message receiver, to ensure that your phone is able to get these emergency alerts).

The message identifies which counties are participating in the test and that it is being conducted as part of the statewide severe weather awareness week.

I like that it also highlights that people may hear outdoor warning sirens (if they are outdoors). I also appreciate the repetition of TEST (5 times) in ALL CAPS.

Perhaps the most interesting use of this WEA is the inclusion of a link to get feedback from people who received it. I don't know what type of items were included in the survey, but this is a creative way to engage people and show that you want to hear from them.

This is also a good message. It states why an alert has disrupted your day, who it is from, what it is part of, and offers additional information about the weeklong campaign. Most importantly, is the direct appeal for engagement with message receivers. I hope that part of the survey included a link to sign up for opt-in messages and information about preparing for severe weather. Using the extra space in a 360-character message to prompt conversation is a great way to build trust.

So, there you have it! 5 messages issued as part of statewide preparedness efforts. Some clearly explain that the message is sent to test YOUR phone and to provide additional information. Some do so in ways that aren't so clear.

As with all messages issued to the public, following this formula will lead to the best outcomes: Message Source: HAZARD, in LOCATION at TIME. Additional hazard impact information. GUIDANCE. Link for more information.

This goes for a TEST message too.

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