New BEACON AI Emergency Alert System Mentioned During U.S. Congressional Hearing
BEACON, a new artificial intelligence emergency alert system, was mentioned by U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL 14th District) in a U.S. House Energy and Commerce Communication Subcommittee hearing on “Strengthening American Leadership in Wireless Technology.”
The Broadcast Emergency Alerts and Communications Operations Network, or BEACON, provides real-time, life-saving information in multiple languages to Florida residents during severe weather emergencies via FM and AM radio channels and a mobile app. The concept was developed at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) and built in partnership with the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Futuri Media. BEACON first launched in December 2024 at NPR affiliate WUFT-FM covering North Central Florida and housed at UFCJC.
“I can tell you back home in the Tampa Bay area, as we recover from the most damaging and costly hurricane season, and we look at the other damage across North Carolina to our neighbors across fellow Americans in Southern California, no place has been immune to these — these extreme climate catastrophes, but, you know, we’re learning a lot in the aftermath,” Castor said. “In the aftermath, we learn how to better prepare and respond, and the Florida Department of Emergency Management and the University of Florida piloted a new tool to provide emergency responders and local governments with a dependable means to share alerts.”
“I mean, information is critical during emergencies. They have the new broadcast emergency and communication operational network BEACON that uses AI to quickly convert text into speech for AM radio broadcast. And it has the ability to translate into different languages, automating these kind of critical safety broadcasts before, during, and after a disaster,” she said.
Posted: January 30, 2025
Category: AI at CJC News, College News
Tagged as: AI, BEACON, FDEM, Futuri Media, WUFT
