Practical Results of Text Message Parameters Substantiation for Population Notification in Emergency Situations
Keywords:
Emergency Public Warning, Text Message Parameters, Protective Measures, Risk of InjuryAbstract
Purpose: The existing experience proves efficiency of emergency public warning via mobile text messages in emergencies. However
there are certain difficulties regarding perception and understanding of such messages as well as subsequent initiation of appropriate
protective measures in emergency situations. To overcome these difficulties a developed methodological approach to establishing
efficient parameters of text messages has been used. A practical research has been conducted to evaluate efficiency of its performance.
Methods: There has been carried out a sociological survey of students majoring in engineering with different levels of training in the
field of civil defense. The students completed two-part questionnaires. The first part included a text message concerning an emergency;
messages differed in volume and complexity of individual information units. The second part contained a list of protective measures
from which the students had to choose appropriate measures based on a text message. The completed questionnaires have been used to
evaluate a risk of injury in case of implementation of chosen protective measures. The parameters of the message associated with the
minimum risk have been found efficient. Results: It has been found that an efficient text message should include information units on
a hazard type, nature and dynamics as well as instructions on protective measures. Any additional information on further actions or
including other data increased the risk of injury, i.e. it has been redundant. Practical relevance: There has been proven the efficiency
of the developed methodological approach which can be used for working out a bank of standard alert messages designed for various
groups of population in emergencies.