State signs on to electronic billboards

The state plans to use privately owned electronic billboards in metro areas to broadcast emergency alerts. The billboards will be used like the Department of Transportation's electronic signs over the interstates in Atlanta, which can post traffic conditions or broadcast "Levi Calls" for missing children. The Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Georgia Bureau of Investigation can activate the 75 billboards donated by the Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia. The signs, which normally carry advertising, are located on highways in Atlanta, Albany, Augusta, Brunswick, Macon, Rome, Savannah and Valdosta.

(Associated Press)

Emergency alerts might be faulty

Emergency alert emails might not be as reliable as many colleges and university hope. A new study by a Georgia Tech scientist found emergency notification systems failed to reach 85% of a population within 10 minutes. The systems send text messages and voice calls to cell phones when there is an emergency. The study found that text messages are vulnerable to fraud, since hackers could send out false alerts and like e-mails, texts could be delayed. And in emergencies, a flood of calls to loved ones could overload a cell network and interrupt emergency 911 communications.

UGA inspects failed alert system

The University of Georgia is trying to figure out why its emergency notification system failed. There was a 13-minute delay when the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Clarke County Aug. 26. The UGAAlert system is designed to send students and employees text messages, e-mails and automated phone calls when there is a campus-wide threat. Nearly 50,000 people are connected to the system.

(Associated Press)