In a groundbreaking move aimed at enhancing public safety and inclusivity, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced the expansion of Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to include multilingual options.
The initiative, unveiled by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, will provide emergency response officials with pre-designed alert templates in 13 of the most commonly spoken languages in the United States, alongside English and American Sign Language (ASL).
This development addresses a critical gap in the nation’s emergency communication system by ensuring that language barriers do not prevent individuals from receiving life-saving information.
“The language you speak shouldn’t keep you from receiving the information you or your family needs to stay safe,” Rosenworcel stated. “During an emergency, life-saving alerts should be accessible to everyone.”
Currently, WEA messages can only be sent in English and Spanish. Alert originators are responsible for manually translating messages into Spanish, a process that can be time-consuming and error-prone, especially during emergencies.
The new FCC rules, adopted in October 2023, aim to eliminate this obstacle by requiring wireless providers to store pre-translated templates on mobile devices.
This way, when a public safety official sends an alert, the message will automatically appear in the recipient’s preferred language, if available.
If the subscriber’s language is not supported, the message will default to English.
The templates will cover the 18 most frequently issued and time-sensitive emergency alerts, including warnings for hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes.
The languages selected for these templates reflect the linguistic diversity of the U.S., with translations available in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
As contained in the release by the Commission, FEMA has expressed strong support for the initiative.
Michael S. George, Associate Administrator of FEMA’s Office of National Continuity Programs, emphasizing the importance of the change, was quoted saying the initiative will help alert originators communicate quickly with the public during critical emergencies.
The process of expanding multilingual WEA began in February 2024, when the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau sought public input on implementation strategies.
The finalized report incorporates feedback from public safety officials and language access advocates, ensuring the templates are both effective and practical.
Wireless providers that participate in the WEA system are now required to implement the new templates and update their networks accordingly.
The FCC believes this step will significantly improve emergency communication and ensure that more people receive vital information during emergencies.
Key Points:
- Emergency alerts will now be available in 13 additional languages, alongside English and ASL.
- Public safety officials can use FCC-provided templates to issue time-sensitive alerts.
- Alerts will display in a phone’s default language, if supported, or default to English. Templates cover critical alerts such as hurricane, tornado, and earthquake warnings.
- Languages covered include Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese.
- Wireless providers must install the templates on mobile devices.