From 9/11 to FEMA IPAWS: Jen Meyers on Emergency Alerts, Alert Fatigue & Public Trust in Crisis

In this powerful episode of The Alerting Authority, hosts Jeannette Sutton and Eddie Bertola sit down with emergency communications expert Jen Meyers to explore the evolving world of emergency alerts, FEMA IPAWS, public warning systems, and crisis communication.With more than 25 years of experience in public safety, Jen shares her journey from 911 dispatcher to supporting over 2,200 alerting authorities nationwide through FEMA IPAWS Technical Support Services. She discusses how her experience during the September 11 Pentagon attack shaped her perspective on emergency communication, preparedness, interoperability, and public trust.This episode dives deep into:-FEMA IPAWS and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)-Over-alerting and alert fatigue-Emergency communication best practices-Public trust in emergency alerts-Message quality during disasters-Geo-targeting and warning coordination-Access and functional needs populations-Active assailant alerting-Cross-jurisdiction communication failures-Emergency management training and preparedness-Why alerting authorities need more research and better policy integrationJen, Jeannette, and Eddie also discuss the growing importance of plain language messaging, why jargon in alerts can create dangerous confusion, and how agencies can better prepare for high-pressure incidents before disaster strikes.Whether you work in emergency management, public safety, emergency communications, higher education, law enforcement, weather warning, or homeland security, this episode delivers critical insight into the future of alerting and warning systems.A special thank you to our sponsor, HQE Systems, for supporting this episode. HQE Systems helps agencies simplify and unify emergency alerting, mass notification systems, outdoor warning sirens, IPAWS integration, and crisis communication workflows through streamlined technology designed for real-world emergencies.Subscribe, review, and share The Alerting Authority to help strengthen emergency communication nationwide.