CAPCOG Homeland Security Director, Martin Ritchey, delivered a presentation about best practices for using emergency notification systems, how to overcome challenges with messaging, and the risks of ineffective messages to emergency managers from across the state during June’s Texas Emergency Management Conference. The presentation provided the opportunity to share CAPCOG’s expertise on emergency notifications while learning from others’ experiences.
“CAPCOG and its regional partners strive for the highest capabilities possible in our regional notification system,” said Ritchey. “It is critical that emergency managers know how to rapidly craft and distribute accurate, timely and actionable information to the right stakeholders, partners and the general public. By sharing what CAPCOG has learned with emergency management personnel, we hope to help better protect our neighbors state- and region-wide.”
CAPCOG’s regional notification system can reach about 66 percent of the region’s residents, which is one of the highest percentages of contacts for such a system in the nation. Common issues for reaching people can be complaints about a lack of warnings or being warned too late, confusion over the message, limited capacity of the message sender, or inability to reach persons due to language or other barriers. Ritchey’s presentation addressed the cause and effect of failed messaging and suggested ways to improve the effectiveness.
