[EAS] BLU Alert Comments.

[Botterell, Arthur@CalOES]

Sean, you've hit on one of the deep problems in this domain.  

Everyone likes to think that their alert.. or their delivery system... should be uniquely tailored to their particular interests at any given time.  Largely, I think, because we don't really teach emergency managers and public safety folk anything about warning, it becomes like the blind men and the elephant.

We have, for example, a Common Alerting Protocol, designed to integrate all kinds of warnings across all kinds of media.  But that doesn't advance anyone's political or commercial objectives, and so there's a tendency to ignore it whenever possible.  Anyone can come up with a rationalization of how their application, or their technology, is special, and in the passion of the moment its easy to blind ourselves to the underlying commonalities.  The result is growing entropy and confusion, as advocates strive to distinguish themselves and vendors to differentiate themselves.  Self-interest masquerades as public service.

Almost two decades ago a group of folks convened in DC to try to advance the notion that warning is a basic and generic function of society, not just a quiver of unrelated use-cases.  CAP was a product of that effort, as to no small extent was IPAWS.  But over time the desire to attract attention and/or make a buck largely eclipsed the impulse toward effective public service.

We're quick to complain about the symptoms, but we forget that the underlying disease is well known and its cures are well documented.  Why complaining is more popular than actual problem-solving is a bit of a cultural mystery.

Art