CMW's Steve Franklin (in blue shirt) and others learned about a new multilingual emergency warning system this morning at NAM conference

(you know it’s bad when your computer no longer remembers the exact address of your WordPress login page. I apologize for an extended social media absence and promise to do better!)

The Workshop’s Thom Clark and Steve Franklin are at the New America Media (NAM) National Ethnic Media Expo & Awards in Atlanta today and tomorrow. Thom reports learning this morning about an emergency warning system NAM is launching:

Whether it’s e-coli in spinach or H1N1 flu, public health messages are largely distributed in English-only traditional media outlets. NAM founder Sandy Close announced today at the opening session of their 2009 Expo a new emergency hotline to send critical public health messages in multiple languages to etnic media outlets. The overflow crowd saw a demonstration of the system and commented on its usefulness.

Emergency messaging would be distributed via the web and mobile communications including a closed loop feedback system to determine which outlets got the message and how they used it. Geo-targeting will allow specific emergencies for, say, hurricanes to include specific evacuation routes or other assistance.

(I know I am going to regret not forcing him to post this to the blog himself). Check Steve’s blog for more from the event, bet he is going to have a few more comments.