Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

A usability study will be held at the Center for Assistive Technology & Environmental Access (CATEA).  We will be asking for feedback on several different light, vibration and sound signals for receiving emergency messages on cell phones. 

The study will take about one hour and participants will be compensated $40 cash for their time and opinions.  It is currently scheduled for:

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) can be received on cell phones across the country. These alerts are automatic, provide AMBER alerts, and weather emergency notifications. Unlike text alerts you may receive from your city, county, or institution, you do not have to sign-up to receive WEA messages.

We need your help to make emergency alerts and warning systems accessible to people with disabilities.  Alerts and warning messages are critical during emergencies. People with disabilities are sometimes not considered when sending alerts and warnings. This can impact how you prepare, respond and get back to normal life. We invite you to discuss how you are alerted and respond to emergency alerts, the vibration and light features of assistive technologies and mobile phones. We seek individuals who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing.

November 2014 – FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) will co-host , IPAWS: The New Normal for Receiving Alerts, a webinar for practitioners, developers, and emergency managers on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 – 2pm to 3pm EDT.  The webinar will feature installments related to various topics concerning:

Dr. DeeDee Bennett’s article, Moving Towards Accessible Wireless Emergency Alerts: Sending and Receiving, was published in October’s issue of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Bulletin.  In preparation for IAEM’s annual conference in November, the theme of this issue and the conference is Navigating the New Normal.  As such, Dr. Bennett’s article discusses the findings of a Wireless RERC survey on the accessibility of Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), and survey research funded by FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS).