In this compelling episode, hosts Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola take listeners behind the scenes of real-world Wireless Emergency Alerts — including a recent missing teen case in Pea Ridge, Arkansas — to show how evidence-based message design can directly support effective public safety outcomes.

Together, they break down:
• The difference training makes in high-stakes alert messaging
• Why many WEAs still lack critical information
• How the Message Design Dashboard improves quality and consistency
• A side-by-side comparison of a weak alert vs. a complete, research-based alert
• How post-alert “closure messages” build trust and reduce strain on 911 centers
• Real community outcomes when alerts are done right

Plus: Eddie shares a firsthand account from a recent local search, including how the Pea Ridge Police Department used structured messaging to quickly locate a missing teen with help from the community.

This is an essential episode for alerting authorities, emergency managers, public information officers, dispatch personnel, law enforcement, and anyone who communicates during critical events.

👉 Tune in, subscribe, and share — your participation helps make our communities safer.

Special thanks to our sponsor, HQE Systems, a veteran-owned alert origination and life-safety technology provider.