1. Communication Challenges AND Fairfax Alerts
Hello?
Communication Challenges AND Fairfax Alerts

2. My name is Paul Lupe HELLO!
and I am here to discuss Public Alert & Warning challenges and methods we have used in Fairfax County implementing and operating Fairfax Alerts.

3. 1
Fairfax County
Let’s start with a little overview of Fairfax and our Public Alert & Warning System – Fairfax Alerts.

4. Median Household Income $111,079 Poverty Rate: 5.8 percent
Fairfax County, VA
Land Area: 406 Sq. Miles
260,380 Acres
Population: 1,116,246
590,000+ jobs, 142,000 tech jobs
Median Household Income $111,079
Poverty Rate: 5.8 percent
Budget larger than four states

5. Emergency Subscriber List (ESL) Alerting
Fairfax Alerts
Everbridge Platform
Text & Voice Alerting
Emergency Subscriber List (ESL) Alerting
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) Alerting

6. Registered Users Residents Population registered for Fairfax Alerts
58,468
Registered Users
1,131,000
Residents
5.2%
Population registered for Fairfax Alerts

7. “I’m already signed up, I get those Amber Alerts all the time.”
“I signed up and got to many traffic alerts, so I deleted my account.”
“What is Fairfax Alerts?”
“I’ll just check my twitter account during an emergency.”

8. What is the Goal?
To provide accurate and timely information to all impacted or potentially impacted people.

9. The Challenge?

10. Lack of information sharing among partners
The Challenge?
Public Disinterest
Lack of information sharing among partners
Many messengers
Different consumers
Language barrier
Access & Functional needs
Promotion

11. Public apathy to emergency messages is not a new phenomenon.
Public Disinterest
Public apathy to emergency messages is not a new phenomenon.
The average individual will seek additional information from other sources to verify a threat.
Over alerting can desensitize your population.
Preparedness not a priority among residents.

12. LET’S REVIEW SOME CONCEPTS
Multiple Mediums
The more mediums an individual recieves an alert, the more apt they are to act.
Alert Subscriptions
Ensure there is a defined “Emergency Alert” subscription.
When to Send?
Define what constitutes an emergency and ensure that is shared with your registrants.
Geo-Target Alerts
Target your alerts geographically, if possible, to cut down on erroneous alerts.
Test Alerts
Send periodic tests to your recipents to ensure they are familiar with your messages.

13. Outreach Events Print Ads Radio Website Social Media HOA’s
Promotion!
Outreach Events
Print Ads
Radio
Website
Social Media
HOA’s
Chamber of Commerce
Choose up to 5 locations such as home, work and school
Choose up to 10 delivery methods like home phone, cellphone, , text messaging and more
Create “Quiet Times” when you don’t want to receive weather alerts
Mobile app available for iPhone and Android

14. Different Consumers
Baby Boomers
Millenials
Generation X

15. Generation Differences

16. Many Messengers
Fairfax Alerts has over 400 authorized senders, representing Public Safety, Public Works, Public Information, Transportation and many others.

17. Communication
Is almost always listed as the number one cause of difficulties during an incident.

18. A Real World Example
Fairfax County
COVANTA FIRE

19. A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

20. Information Sharing & Many Messengers Solution
One Tool
Sound Policy
Coordination

21. Further Discussion
Policy is often an after thought and without it each alert to the public will be handled inefficiently and differently.
Sharing information is one of the BIGGEST challenges I have seen today. Most agencies in public safety miss this during a major no notice event and disjointed alerting occurs.
For example, the police department tweets about an escaped prisoner two hours before information emergency management or public affairs of the event. The other county agencies learn of the event on the news and send out delayed messaging over their platforms.

22. Access & Functional needs community and language barriers.
Reaching Everyone
Access & Functional needs community and language barriers.

23. Access & Functional Needs
Limited English Proficiency
Approximately 25.2 million Americans have LEP.
“Older Adults”
Approximately 40.5 million Americans are over the age of 65.
25%
It is quite possible that nearly ¼ of the U.S. population needs some form of assistance in receiving emergency alerts.
Disabilities
Approximately 54 million Americans have disabilities.

24. Language Barriers

25. 182
Number of different languages or dialects spoken in Fairfax County, VA.

26. Any questions? THANKS! You can find me at: @plupe (twitter)

27. Presentation template by SlidesCarnival Photographs by Unsplash
CREDITS
Special thanks to all the people who made and released these awesome resources for free:
Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
Photographs by Unsplash