Why the ShakeAlert® Messaging Toolkit?
The Toolkit augments existing earthquake preparedness efforts, offers consistent information about ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning system technology, and promotes protective actions among people in West Coast states.
Available for download: ShakeAlert Messaging Toolkit Manual (9/2020) [.pdf]
Link to Toolkit resources folder: ShakeAlert Messaging Toolkit Resources (10/2020)
The primary purposes of this ShakeAlert® Messaging Toolkit are to augment existing earthquake preparedness efforts, offer consistent information about ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning technology, and promote protective actions among people in West Coast states. Designed to complement the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) ShakeAlert communication, education, and outreach efforts, Toolkit contents were developed with input from and in collaboration with key stakeholders from the emergency management and scientific communities and have been evaluated by a cross-section of message recipients. As a resource to be used by emergency management professionals and other earthquake preparedness practitioners, this Toolkit contains best practice guidance, talking points, and multimedia materials to reach a variety of stakeholder groups. This Toolkit recognizes these stakeholder groups are community partners and can be valuable local and regional amplifiers of ShakeAlert messaging. They can also be instrumental in encouraging community participation in preparedness drills and other protective actions when shaking is expected.
Core Messages
• WHAT is the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning system?
• WHY should people care?
• HOW can ShakeAlert be used to warn people and initiate automated actions to avoid/reduce harm?
• HOW can people get alerts?
• WHAT is the alert message people will get?
• WHAT self-protective actions should people take when they get an alert or feel shaking?
• HOW much advance warning may ShakeAlert provide?
• WHAT are the limitations of ShakeAlert?
• WHERE can people get more information about ShakeAlert and ways to stay safe?
The Importance of Diversity and Inclusiveness in Messaging
Ensuring diverse perspectives, ages, lifestyles, races, cultures, genders, locations, languages, etc. in outreach efforts means that more people are likely to be reached and more trust in ShakeAlert and earthquake preparedness information is gained.
Inclusiveness of all people is critical to preparedness and protection of the whole community.
