The Alerting Authority

Eddie Bertola and Jeannette Sutton
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Society & Culture

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 interpret warnings. The podcast aims to empower emergency managers, communicators, and public safety professionals with actionable insights, practical guidance, and candid conversations with the people who have shaped, studied, and experienced alerting at every level. Whether you’re responsible for issuing alerts, designing systems, researching risk communication, or simply interested in how warnings save lives, The Alerting Authority is your go-to source for understanding and improving public alerting in a complex and rapidly evolving world.

  1. 13h ago

    Why People Ignore Emergency Warnings — Even When They Understand Them

    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

  2. Sep 24

    Why We Keep Making the Same Mistakes After Weather Disasters

    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

  3. Sep 23

    We’re Using AMBER Alerts WRONG: The Alerting Authority Reality Check

    In this Alerting Authority Reality Check, Eddie Bertola tackles a controversial question: Should AMBER Alerts really be sent statewide? Wireless Emergency Alerts were designed with geotargeting capabilities, yet many jurisdictions continue sending AMBER Alerts across an entire state—even when an abduction occurs near a state border or available information points toward a much smaller geographic area. Eddie examines examples from Oregon, Washington, Texas and Florida and explains why he believes this approach needs to change. The concern isn't whether every effort should be made to recover an abducted child. It's whether sending alerts to people hundreds of miles away is actually the most effective use of the technology—and whether over-alerting could eventually cause more people to disable AMBER Alerts entirely. Eddie also identifies three factors he believes contribute to statewide alerting: outdated policies, outdated technology and resistance to change. Is it time to rethink statewide AMBER Alerts? Join the conversation and tell us what you think.

  4. Sep 17

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

    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.

  5. Sep 10

    Earthquake Warning: The Seconds That Could Save Your Life

    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.

  6. Sep 3

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

    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

  7. Aug 27

    Wildfire Evacuations: Why Your Emergency Plan Might FAIL

    Wildfire evacuations can turn chaotic in minutes. So how do emergency managers know when to issue an evacuation order, who should leave first, and whether the roads can actually handle everyone trying to escape? In this episode of The Alerting Authority, Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola are joined by Tom Cova, professor at the University of Utah and expert in wildfire evacuation analysis, emergency management, and geographic information science.  Tom breaks down the science behind evacuation modeling and explains why real-world human behavior can completely change an evacuation timeline. The conversation explores traffic bottlenecks, evacuation zones, phased evacuations, warning messages, vulnerable populations, wildfire behavior, and how emergency managers can build more realistic evacuation plans. One of the biggest takeaways: evacuating everyone simultaneously isn't always the safest strategy. Research and real-world experience show that phased evacuations can reduce risk by allowing those closest to the danger to leave before roads become gridlocked.  The discussion also examines the future of emergency evacuation technology—including live evacuation information, smarter routing, mobile alerts, AI-assisted decision support, and systems that could help emergency managers determine when it's time to issue a warning.  Topics include: wildfire evacuation modeling, evacuation alerts and warnings, traffic and evacuation routes, phased evacuations, evacuation zones, Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), emergency management planning, vulnerable populations, human behavior during disasters, AI in emergency management, and wildfire preparedness. Subscribe to The Alerting Authority for conversations about emergency alerts, warnings, crisis communication, IPAWS, WEA, and the future of public safety messaging.

  8. Aug 20

    CAPCOG 2026 Recap: The Biggest Alerting & Warning Lessons from Texas

    What happens when emergency managers, public safety leaders, universities, public health officials, law enforcement, and alerting authorities from across Texas come together for two days of intensive training? In this episode of  The Alerting Authority, Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola break down their experience at CAPCOG 2026, where they trained professionals from across Texas on emergency communications, alerting policies, message design, public warning research, and real-world emergency scenarios. Topics include: ✅ Why "we'll figure it out when something happens" is not an emergency communication strategy ✅ Building alerting policies that work under pressure ✅ The importance of emergency authorization and reducing notification delays ✅ Cross-jurisdictional coordination and mutual aid agreements ✅ Message design based on scientific research ✅ The Warning Lexicon, Post-Alert Lexicon, and Message Design Dashboard ✅ Active shooter communication strategies ✅ Writing effective all-clear messages ✅ Supporting access and functional needs populations ✅ Practical exercises that improved confidence and reduced fear among alerting professionals The discussion highlights how training, preparation, and evidence-based practices help communities communicate more effectively during emergencies. Participants worked through real-world scenarios ranging from severe weather to active threats while learning how to craft clear, actionable warning messages. Whether you're an emergency manager, public safety professional, dispatcher, university official, or anyone responsible for crisis communications, this episode offers valuable lessons that can improve your alerting program. To learn more about what was discussed and what you can do to better understand alerting checkout TheWarnRoom.com and TheAlertingAuthority.com #AlertingAuthority #EmergencyManagement #PublicSafety #EmergencyAlerts #CAPCOG #WirelessEmergencyAlerts #EmergencyCommunications #CrisisCommunication #AlertWarning #EmergencyPreparedness

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

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 interpret warnings. The podcast aims to empower emergency managers, communicators, and public safety professionals with actionable insights, practical guidance, and candid conversations with the people who have shaped, studied, and experienced alerting at every level. Whether you’re responsible for issuing alerts, designing systems, researching risk communication, or simply interested in how warnings save lives, The Alerting Authority is your go-to source for understanding and improving public alerting in a complex and rapidly evolving world.

Information

  • Creator
    Eddie Bertola and Jeannette Sutton
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Alerting Authority
  • Show Website
    The Alerting Authority

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