When a child goes missing, time is of the essence. So, the quality of the information and effectiveness of its distribution is paramount.

Eddie Bertola, AMBER Alert Coordinator for California Highway Patrol understands this and in 2018, he began working to improve his state’s AMBER Alert plan.

Despite the ability to reach most citizens through their smartphones, Eddie and his team found that only a small fraction of those receiving the messages were able to access additional and vital information when using the link provided in the original AMBER Alert message.

After working for months with Community Outreach and Media Relations professionals, CHP launched the state’s first AMBER Alert Twitter Account. As a result, CHP saw a major increase in the percentage of people accessing AMBER Alert information with more than 98% of readers being able to receive the message in a matter of minutes and even comment or leave tips in real time.

Such success has set Eddie Bertola apart as THE subject matter expert in the field of mass messaging during times of emergency. He brings that wisdom and experience to this episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, talking about how such innovation is possible for every agency through quality training, and a willingness to buy in and apply what is taught.

Doberman Emergency Management owns and operates the Disaster Tough Podcast. Contact us here at: www.dobermanemg.com or email us at: [email protected].

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