UCalgary prof’s research supports launch of Canada’s earthquake alert system

Time is everything when you’re in the middle of an emergency, and having those extra seconds during a serious earthquake can save lives and property. It’s that extra time that the Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system, an alert system developed by the Government of Canada, aims to provide for Canadians.

Two years ago, Dr. Glenn Dolphin, EdD, an associate professor from the Department of Earth, Energy and Environment, received $260,000 from Natural Resources Canada to conduct research and provide several strategies and recommendations on how to inform the public on earthquakes and the EEW alerts. 

With his extensive background in science education, Dolphin has been tackling the challenges that come with communicating to the public about earthquake safety in his research — and now the first EEW systems being activated across Canada.

About the EEW alert system

The EEW recently launched in British Columbia and will launch in Quebec and Ontario by the end of 2024. It works by monitoring the seismic waves created by an earthquake and delivering an early warning. 

Much like dropping a pebble in water, an earthquake generates seismic waves across the earth’s surface. Those waves are known as primary P waves and secondary S waves. 

The P waves are faster and less damaging than the slower S waves. Using sensors, the EEW system captures the P waves before the S waves. It then transfers that data to a software system, which sends out an alert to the affected region through a text-based alert system.

Delivering the message

In developing his recommendations to Natural Resources Canada, Dolphin and his team — Jason Droboth, Esther Muturi and Shona de Jong — took into consideration the historical, linguistic and sociocultural factors that would impact how the public receives, interprets and responds to the EEW alert. 

“That’s one of my main strategies in teaching — to use the history of science, and the developmental trajectory of concepts, to teach those concepts rather than just giving it out in its abstract form,” says Dolphin. “And then also, just trying to understand the language that we use also influences how we understand things.”

Interestingly, Dolphin’s research found that the public goes through a “cycle of awareness, wonder and then investigation” after feeling an earthquake. The EEW system can circumvent this cycle by providing immediate information. 

Furthermore, his research also emphasizes the importance of understanding earthquake magnitude and intensity, and the need for clear communication to maintain trust in the EEW system. 

“Trust in the system is another prerequisite for proper response to an alert,” says Dolphin. “For people to maintain trust and avoid user fatigue, understanding why they did or did not receive an alert is crucial.

“Additionally, having consistent definitions of magnitude and intensity among government websites, along with standardized concepts and definitions across different countries, can help inform the public.”

That timely warning, backed by relevant and consistent information, gives people the chance to “drop, cover and hold on” — helping to prevent injury, save lives and reduce property damage.