[LINK] No cash for phone alert system

[Marghanita da Cruz]

Ivan Trundle wrote:
> On 17/02/2009, at 11:00 AM, Jan Whitaker wrote:
> 
>> <snip> isn't it better to advise the public who are evacuating which  
>> direction to go if it's
>> open? </snip>
> 
> It's nowhere near that simple, and the media (particularly television)  
> gets this wrong every time it is discussed.
<snip>
> I'm not advocating a 'stay put and fight the fire' approach, but  
> rather that circumstances vary tremendously, and that all possible  
> options should be canvassed.
> 
<snip>

This needs to be done ahead of time, and instructions need to go out before the
event. Here communication can be extremely useful and effective. But whether
people follow the instructions is another issue...perhaps on such occassions
emergency powers should be enacted and TV stations should be used to alert but 
not alarm
people into taking head of the warnings and educating them on how to act....maybe
this could be a good use for government digital stations.

Marghanita
-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
http://www.ramin.com.au
Phone: (+61)0414 869202