WEA sent 10/26/2020
While the research record supports a specific order of contents to improve message comprehension (source; hazard; location; action; time), a well-written, complete message is notable.
In this case, the Grant County Sheriff's Office included the hazard (structure fire) location (on the west side of Wendell) and hazard impact (potential inhalation hazard), in a single statement. The guidance instructs people to (stay indoors/limit outdoor exposure) and includes an expected time at which the threat would be abated.
In just 231 characters, the message is complete!
Because this message could be expanded by an additional 130-characters, one improvement would be to include additional information about the potential location of impact.
A second suggestion is to improve internal consistency by offering advice on how to protect breathing if outdoor exposure cannot be avoided.
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