Cellular Emergency Alert System

Cellular Emergency Alert/Broadcast System

A public service announcement addressing the problems of the current Emergency Alert/Broadcast System. Delivered by TRON.

Early Warning and efficient communication are powerful tools when it comes to saving lives. Despite all of our technological breakthroughs, the "Emergency Alert System" remains terribly inefficient.

Cellular networks are capable of (using current technology) delivering geographically specific warnings/notifications. Furthermore, cellular phones are quickly becoming one of the most accessible forms of communication technology; 1stworld -- 3rd world alike. There are 2,168,433,600 Cell phones in use as of 2005. By the year 2011, Global cellular penetration is projected to reach 75%.

I chose to represent this message with a "TRON" theme because I wanted to illustrate how technology can be used to help humanity. I found this film to be quite appropriate as it depicts man and machine working together for a common good. "TRON" further conveys this point, as it was the 1st movie to use Computer Graphic Imagery (only 15 min; the rest was animated by hand). Hence, man and machine quite literally worked together to produce the footage.

Though this video was not as fluid as I had intended, I believe it carries an important message. A few changes to our Emergency Alert System, could save countless lives all across the globe.

By Ian Cofrin


Video Footage:

"Me on KY3 News"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wq-j9rq9r6M

"UNC Emergency Plan (SMS)"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NASWOx276Yo

"Tsunami Relief by the Red Cross"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MflWzMx2NNw

"Virginia Tech Massacre"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5nGtnMA8PzM

How stuff works "Cell Phone"
http://www.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone.htm

TRON (1982)

Directed by:
Steven Lisberger & Robert Meyer Burnett
Produced by:
Donald Kushner & Harrison Ellenshaw
Written by:
Steven Lisberger & Bonnie MacBird
Studio:
Buena Vista & Walt Disney Video



Music:

"Voodoo People"
Performed by Prodigy
Music for the Jilted Generation, 1994

Categories:
911, Alert, Broadcast, cell, Cellular, Cyclone, Earthquake, Emergency, Hurricane, Katrina, Natural Disaster, Forrest Fire, Terrorist Attack, PSA, Reverse 911, 9-11, September 11th, SMS, System, text message, Tornado, Tsunami, Virginia Tech, warning

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• PSA
• Tron
• Emergency
• Cellular
• Alert
• Text
• Message
• SMS
• Reverse
• 911
• Humanity
• Life-Saving
• Technology
• analysis
• news

[winerrs]

What software you used for this?

[REGUL8RS]

Final Cut Studio 2

[stormchaser751]

wher can I get Final Cut Studio 2

[REGUL8RS]

Apple

[nikopupella]

I am in agreement. This system would be very helpful in the long run if they start now.

[thewii60]

brilliant

[jdills1196]

I know this video is old, but it's already in the process of being updated.

Google IPAWS.

[TheRandomCrapSection]

Eh, sound like a good idea. But will an emergency update charge you minutes on your phone?

[Krapenhoeffer]

The local news stations in my area send me SMS messages to my cell phone whenever the EAS goes off. Serves as my "go get uniform ready, because you're about to get a phone call" alarm.

[greenscreenn00bster]

lol you used footage from tron!

[REGUL8RS]

Registration does NOT give the IT Dept power over a person's cell phone nor the ability to listen to calls. Registration simply adds your phone number to a contact list. In the event of a emergency, an automated system sends a voice message and/or text message to each phone number on the contact list. Automated systems like this have been in use for many years (e.g. Telemarketers)

[dojoman84]

So this does not strike anyone as a odd thing? Dont get me wrong, early warning is great. However, register your cell phones with the IT Dept.......does anyone know how much power they have now to do w/e they want to your phone? Like tape it w/o any thing saying they cant and listen in on your phone calls. As well as see all incoming and outgoing text? What college is this that they did this> Id like to know. Furthermore was it mandated or was it your choice?

[Tallyock]

The face looks freaky on 1:29

[scdrumlinepit]

We have a similar idea at our campus. They've asked everyone to register their cell phones with the IT department for use in an emergency. They've done two red level securing drills, one while I was in my dorm (it was only for my dorm... we were the test group) and one while I was out at a party. The second one was supposed to implement the cell phone messages but I never got one nor did any of my friends.