(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/artolympic)
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) is a system managed under the authority of federal agencies to deliver urgent messages to mobile phones within a defined geographic area. Historically, WEA has been deployed for severe weather warnings, including events like the 2015 New York blizzard and Hurricane Sandy. Over the recent weekend, however, authorities used WEA for the first time in connection with a terrorist investigation.
Residents across parts of New York received geotargeted alerts asking them to be on the lookout for a man sought for questioning related to an explosion in Chelsea that injured 29 people. The weekend and early Monday morning saw multiple incidents, including two explosions, across New York and New Jersey.
The individual authorities want to question is Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28. Rahami recently lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and is of Afghan descent. The FBI describes him as having brown hair and brown eyes, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighing around 200 pounds. Authorities advise anyone who spots him to call 911 and to avoid approaching him, as he may be armed.
WEA is intended for the most critical situations so that the alerts retain their urgency and do not cause unnecessary alarm. By providing a description—and in this case an image—across many devices in the area, officials aimed to limit the suspect’s ability to move unnoticed and to prevent further injuries or loss of life by enabling timely reporting and detainment.
The decision to use WEA in this instance prompted debate because many people felt the alerts increased public anxiety during an already tense time. Lance Ulanoff, Chief Correspondent at Mashable, said he was on a New York train when the WEA notifications sounded and tweeted that the alert heightened commuters’ unease.
Authorized senders of WEA messages are limited to federal and certain state or local public safety agencies, including the FBI, the National Weather Service, and the Department of Homeland Security. Technology companies such as Apple and Google incorporate or test similar alert systems on their mobile platforms to protect users during emergencies. Other platforms, like Facebook’s Safety Check, provide tools for people to notify friends and family they are safe during a crisis.
Do you think WEA should have been used in this situation? Let us know in the comments.