Crisis Communication, AI, and Public Trust: What Alerting Authorities Can Learn from Dr. Tim Coombs

What happens when emergency alerts fail, misinformation spreads, or organizations lose public trust during a crisis?In this episode of The Alerting Authority, Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola sit down with Dr. W. Timothy Coombs, one of the most cited crisis communication scholars in the world and creator of the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT).The conversation explores the relationship between crisis communication, disasters, alerts, warnings, and organizational accountability. Dr. Coombs explains how effective communication brings crisis management plans to life and why instructing and adjusting information are critical to protecting the public.Using real-world examples including the Hawaii false missile alert, the Paradise Fire, and the Los Angeles wildfire alert failures, the discussion examines what organizations can learn when communication systems break down.The episode also tackles one of the biggest emerging challenges in emergency management: artificial intelligence. Dr. Coombs shares his perspective on AI-generated messaging, the risks of overreliance on automation, the importance of maintaining communication skills, and why meaningful human involvement remains essential in crisis communication.Topics include: Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT)  Accountability and public trust during crises  Lessons from the Hawaii false missile alert  Paradise Fire communication challenges  Los Angeles wildfire alert failures  Over-alerting and public response  Crisis communication training and preparedness  AI in emergency messaging and public warning  Human-in-the-loop communication systems  Research, peer review, and the future of crisis communication Whether you're an emergency manager, public information officer, alerting practitioner, researcher, or communicator, this episode offers valuable insights into how organizations can communicate more effectively when the stakes are highest.