The Warning Lexicon: A Multiphased Study to Identify, Design, and Develop Content for Warning Messages

Abstract

Emergency managers and alert and warning originators require tools to build effective warning messages. The purpose of this research is to develop one such tool—a Warning Lexicon—that can be used to construct consistent warning messages for Wireless Emergency Alerts. Specifically, the Warning Lexicon systematically establishes a common set of statements about hazard impacts and their associated recommended protective actions that can be used to quickly write effective warning message contents. Thus, the Warning Lexicon allows practitioners and risk communicators to (1) write effective warning messages at the time of the threat, (2) reduce message issuance delay, and (3) develop templated messages as part of their preparedness process. We built the Warning Lexicon through a theoretically informed, multiphased mixed methods process of content analysis and subject matter expert review to verify the accuracy of lexicon statements and validate the language used to instruct message receivers about protective actions. The resulting content incorporated into the Warning Lexicon includes 48 hazards, their associated impacts, and 112 protective action statements spanning atmospheric, technological, biological, and human-induced events. The result of this project is a comprehensive, theory-based, expert-informed, and practitioner-reviewed resource to support the composition of warning messages for imminent threat events.