[EAS] Deja Vu: Boulder officials questioned over effectiveness of emergency notification system

[Sean Donelan]

Is this quote from Paradise, California or Boulder, Colorado?

"In a wildfire scenario, a WEA is likely to warn residents over a larger 
geographic area than intended, causing traffic congestion and egress 
issues for those closest to the danger attempting to evacuate. WEA 
notifications, if unclear to residents, will increase calls into the 911 
center, resulting in additional call volume at the communication centers 
likely taxing 911 resources."

https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/7a/1d/9bf7ba1644b4adb5133ef96caf2a/everbridge-information-final.pdf

Although over 35,000 people were affected by the Boulder County 
wildfires, the Everbridge "opt-in" system notified a peak of 7,500 
"contacts."  A person may have more than one contact method.

Opt-in systems are less effective reaching tourists, e.g. AirBnb occupants 
and transient populations such as workers during business hours. Fewer 
than 25% of people actively sign-up for any alerting sytems, and usually 
only subscribe to one near their home or school address. Subscription 
based alerting systems don't reflect the current location, rather the 
subscription address.

Broadcast systems like WEA and EAS alert 50% to 80% of people in a wider 
area, and don't require actively subscribing to different local systems. 
By their nature broadcast alert systems reach more people in (and nearby).

Lack of 911 inquiries does not mean an alert was exceptionally clear and 
no one had questions. The lack of 911 calls in response to an alert, often 
reflects the fact that few people received any alert. Cities with 
experience try to redirect people with questions to call 211 or 311 
instead. But 911 is a victim of its own success.

Is the trade off more deaths or more calls to 911 when choosing 
which public alert and warning system to use?