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I signed up with a phone alert system a couple days ago. Haven't done it before because it's been more comfortable to assume that if you don't ask for alerts you won't need them. Magical thinking. But if it is as the Governor (California) is saying, that one after the other calamities is the new normal, then having alerts could be prudent. Providing they aren't false alarms. Or cry wolfs. (My ZTE doesn't seem to have any alert apps already installed so that's why I went looking.)
Won't you get lots of alerts for situations that realistically won't affect you? There may not be any way to filter out the ones you can ignore. Depending on who makes the decision about what to alert, it could be anything from a freeway accident, a thunderstorm, to a nuclear attack. Those decisions might not be made by your neighborhood responders. Could be a constant source of needless anxiety. If its something very very immediate and serious, chances are you are already aware of it or will be before an alert helps. How will an alert change what you do in an earthquake? When you think about it, what do you really need to know at any given moment? I would rather think about what I should do when the most probable local emergencies happen (example: if I live in a box canyon I'd want to be prepared for wildfire or a flash flood) and do some advance planning on my own. You are less likely to feel helpless if you plan ahead.
Won't you get lots of alerts for situations that realistically won't affect you? There may not be any way to filter out the ones you can ignore. Depending on who makes the decision about what to alert, it could be anything from a freeway accident, a thunderstorm, to a nuclear attack. Those decisions might not be made by your neighborhood responders. Could be a constant source of needless anxiety. If its something very very immediate and serious, chances are you are already aware of it or will be before an alert helps. How will an alert change what you do in an earthquake? When you think about it, what do you really need to know at any given moment? I would rather think about what I should do when the most probable local emergencies happen (example: if I live in a box canyon I'd want to be prepared for wildfire or a flash flood) and do some advance planning on my own. You are less likely to feel helpless if you plan ahead.
Your post describes how I was reasoning for years, why I never registered for alerts. But I'm getting convinced it's probably better to err on the side of caution. Also I've learned that if you have alerts you could get other info too like who's out there to help, who's near you, how to contact them, things like that.
Won't you get lots of alerts for situations that realistically won't affect you?
The folks who design alert systems know this is a concern, and they usually have ways for you to tailor notifications so you only receive alerts you really want.
There are many different types of alerts in my area, so I had to investigate to choose the most helpful.
The amber alert sound is horrible, I just about jump out of my chair every time I hear it.
I have mine to set to vibrate.
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But if it is as the Governor (California) is saying, that one after the other calamities is the new normal, then having alerts could be prudent. Providing they aren't false alarms. Or cry wolfs. (My ZTE doesn't seem to have any alert apps already installed so that's why I went looking.)
