Research Counts

By Melissa Villarreal, Carson MacPherson-Krutsky, and Mary Angelica Painter

Emergency alerts may be difficult to understand and act upon, and some never reach people at all. Alerting authorities—local government officials and emergency managers who send out emergency information—often struggle to reach everyone during a disaster. During Winter Storm Uri in 2021, freezing temperatures and a failure of the electrical grid left millions across Texas without power, resulting in the death of 246 people. In Austin, a city auditor later found that critical safety information about the storm, shelters, and boil water notices was not sent in a timely manner to non-English speaking populations. For example, the city’s first alert in Spanish went out four days later than the initial English alert, long after large portions of Austin had already gone dark.

Scenarios like this leave people unaware and unable to appropriately respond when disaster strikes. This is especially true for people with visual or auditory disabilities or those that speak a language other than English. As dangerous extreme weather events increasingly affect communities across the nation, there’s an urgent need to share more timely, accessible, and actionable lifesaving information with all people—especially those who may experience added barriers.

Our research identifies barriers and best practices for more inclusive emergency alerts and warnings to better share emergency information with diverse populations.

Keep It Simple, Make It Actionable

A person receiving an emergency alert should be able to quickly understand the message and what they need to do to protect themselves. Yet a large body of research demonstrates that many emergency alerts are incomplete, too complex, or only sent in English. A well-crafted alert should include information about the type and location of the hazard, recommended protective action, and the timing of the event written in plain language.

Messages should also be available in accessible formats and all major languages spoken in a given area. For example, in Colorado, English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese are the four most prevalent languages spoken. Local authorities might want to consider issuing alerts, at minimum, in these languages. Yet many alerting authorities lack the funding, staff, or training needed to achieve such a goal. Instead, first responders, news agencies, or community members rely on imperfect translation tools, potentially leading to inaccuracies or major delays in the translation and receipt of emergency messages. There are also often few options for video alerts or audio warnings, such as American Sign Language (ASL) interpretations or sirens, which may be necessary to reach those who are blind or deaf or hard of hearing. As a result, people may turn to second-hand information or miss the message entirely, leaving them unprepared to act in a lifesaving way.

In cities or counties with linguistically diverse populations, authorities should hire trained multilingual staff or work with translators ahead of time. Ready-to-use message templates, with pre-translated information in various formats to fit many possible emergency situations, can help ensure accurate and timely risk communication to such populations as well as those with disabilities.

Share Messages Through Multiple Channels

One of the most persistent problems with emergency alerts is getting messages to people. Many areas in the United States rely on inflexible or opt-in alerting software and systems. For instance, Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs)—which use cell towers to broadcast alerts through mobile phones—is not currently designed to support languages other than English or Spanish.

Other systems require people to sign up for alerts through an app or web service, which can severely limit their reach. In our 2024 study, for instance, we found that while communities across Colorado rely heavily on opt-in emergency alert systems, most localities report opt-in rates below 40%.

Emergency information should be shared through multiple diverse channels to reach as many people as possible. Some examples include foreign language television or social media, posting translated and accessible information online, and establishing telephone voicemail menus with language assistance. For television or online broadcasts, the addition of multi-lingual text graphics or the inclusion of video of an ASL interpreter can go a long way to increase understanding and message reach.

People are also more likely to heed warnings from trusted and familiar sources like health workers, faith leaders, or local news outlets. To spread emergency information, alerting authorities should establish partnerships with diverse community members well before disasters happen. Together, government, schools, households, and businesses can take on shared responsibility to improve emergency communication.

Create a Language Access Plan

Many barriers to inclusive emergency alerts can be overcome by prioritizing communication and outreach ahead of a crisis. The development of a language access plan provides guidance for state and local authorities to improve language translation, interpretation, and accessibility of emergency information. These plans should include educational campaigns on disaster terminology, how to opt-in for alerts, and how to take protective action, along with other important disaster preparedness information.

The best plans are informed by regular community engagement. Alerting authorities can start building relationships with organizations that serve potentially vulnerable populations. This can help strengthen networks and empower people to actively participate in emergency communication planning. This process builds trust and improves understanding of language and disability access, including how communities prefer to receive information. Rigid, “one-size-fits all” approaches are not likely to be effective, but community-grounded plans can help authorities tailor emergency communication and cultivate a culture of preparedness.

Ultimately, emergency alerts should ensure that no one is left behind during a disaster. By making alerts more accessible, we improve the safety and well-being of all people and communities.