Multihazard Impact-Based Alerts via Cell Broadcast in New Zealand: Targeted Short Messages for Promoting Effective Responses

The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management in New Zealand is in the process of setting up a nationwide impact-based alerting system, for all hazards that have short lead times, including severe weather events. Multiple agencies will be able to issue the alerts, which will be disseminated via cell broadcast. Alerts will be sent to targeted areas to populations at risk, based on the level of certainty, severity, and urgency of the hazard. We are conducting participatory research to investigate the most effective content and order of the cell broadcast messages, building on previous findings from the US. A recent survey of the New Zealand public tested the influence of various content and order of the messages on risk perceptions and intended actions. A case study of a short-lead time tsunami was used; however, our results will also be demonstrated using a weather scenario. We will also describe how this project aligns with the World Meteorological Organization’s High Impact Weather research programme.