The preliminary results of a survey designed to assess the state of emergency preparedness in communities across the United States aid in the development of a conceptual approach to emergency management. The approach identifies the relationships among existing emergency-management systems and prac tices and assesses their effectiveness in alerting and notifying the public. A comparison of data gleaned from a survey of emergency-preparedness officials permits comparison of existing public-alert and notification systems with state- of-the-art technology, procedures, and management systems. The study also addresses the potential problems and constraints likely to thwart timely effec tive warning in the advent of an emergency. Finally, the authors make recom mendations for improving public-alert and notification systems in chemical emergencies.
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