Title: Mobile emergency alerting made accessible

Authors: Jeremy Johnson, Helena Mitchell, Salimah LaForce, Ed Price, Frank Lucia

Addresses: Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA. ' Center for Advanced Communications Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA. ' Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA. ' Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA. ' Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA

Abstract: It is critical that next-generation warning systems be developed such that persons with disabilities are given equal access to emergency alerts. This paper discusses research and development activities to provide next-generation, mobile emergency alerting systems to people with disabilities. A framework for prototyping mobile phone-based emergency alert systems and multiple systems built on this framework are presented. Results from field trials indicated support and the need for accessible emergency alert/notification features. The paper concludes that simple accommodations can be made to services and software on mobile devices that greatly increase the accessibility of mobile emergency alerts to persons with disabilities.

Keywords: emergency communications; mobile devices; disabled people; disabilities; accessibility; short messaging service; SMS; commercial mobile alert systems; CMAS; emergency alerting; emergency management; prototyping; mobile phones; cell phones; emergency alerts; warning systems.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEM.2010.032047

International Journal of Emergency Management, 2010 Vol.7 No.1, pp.88 - 99

Published online: 05 Mar 2010 *

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