The FCC is making inroads on expanding Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) to more languages. Based on public input from public safety officials, the FCC has developed customizable templates for the 18 most commonly issued and time-sensitive WEAs in 13 of the most spoken languages in the U.S.
The agency is requiring commercial mobile service providers that participate in WEA to implement multilingual templates that alert originators can choose to send during life-threatening emergencies.These languages, along with English and American Sign Language, will enable public safety officials to quickly and effectively reach more people during emergencies, say agency officials.
The initiative addresses a critical challenge in emergency communication: overcoming language barriers that could prevent people from receiving vital safety information. The FCC’s move responds to feedback from public safety officials, who identified the difficulty of quickly translating time-sensitive messages during crises. By offering templates for languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Hindi, and others, the initiative ensures that crucial alerts like hurricane, tornado, and earthquake warnings will be accessible to a broader audience.
Previously, mobile devices only supported WEA alerts in English and Spanish, with alert originators responsible for translating alerts into Spanish themselves, according to the Commission. Under new rules, wireless providers are required to store these multilingual templates on mobile devices, enabling alerts to be displayed in the subscriber’s default language. If the relevant translation is unavailable, the alert will appear in English. This system is set to roll out in early 2025.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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