Internet emergency alert system

The emergency alert system available on television and radio media provides an effective means for dissipating information to the general population during emergencies. Demographic studies in the United States have shown an increasing trend towards the use of Internet by general population, and point to the fact that increased Internet usage is associated with decreased time on television and radio. Since there is no equivalent of the TV and radio emergency alert system on the Internet, a significant fraction of the population may be left without prompt information in the case of an emergency. In this paper, we explore the various options for designing an emergency alert system for users in Internet. We address the operational and technical challenges associated with each option, present alternative designs for an Internet emergency alert system, and compare the relative merits of the different approaches.