Controller and method for alerting mobile subscribers about emergency situations

摘要

A system (100), controller (104) and method (400) are described that can effectively alert a mobile subscriber (112) about an emergency situation including, for example, a weather alert, a hostage situation or a hazardous material leak. In particular, the system (100) includes an emergency warning system (102) capable of generating information (120) identifying a geographic area (108) in which there is an emergency situation. The system (100) also includes a controller (104) capable of receiving the information (120) identifying the troubled geographic area (108) and is further capable of requesting and receiving from a wireless communications network (106) a list (134) of the mobile subscribers (112) currently located within the troubled geographic area (108). Thereafter, the controller (104) is capable of initiating an emergency notification message (114) that is sent to at least one of the mobile subscribers (112). The emergency notification message (114) can be in the form of a page (412c), a voice message (412a) or a short text message (412b).