The Florida Division of Emergency Management, with help from the University of Florida, unveiled a new program Wednesday that uses artificial intelligence to deliver real-time messages before, during and after a disaster.
The Broadcast Emergency Alerts and Communications Operations Network, or BEACON, collects relevant information from the local, state and federal levels and converts that information from text to voice so it can be sent over the air in minutes, which previously could take hours .
“BEACON combines new technology with the reliability and power of radio broadcasting to deliver messages directly to the communities that need them most through AM radio, FM HD channels and the BEACON mobile app,” said FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie , speaking from UF’s College of Journalism and Communications. “In the state of Florida, we have never lost a radio tower with all the storms that have hit here.”
Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, speaks about the new Broadcast Emergency Alerts and Communications Operations Network (BEACON) during a press conference on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville on Wednesday.
Guthrie said the system was tested during hurricanes and Helene and Milton, and successfully broadcast more than 4,000 messages.
“I guarantee you that sometime in the next decade we will be saving lives,” Guthrie said.
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Agencies likely to use the system include the National Weather Service, the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS), the Department of Emergency Management and other local, state and federal organizations.
BEACON will operate 24/7 and will initially launch on the university’s WUFT-FM HD4, which serves the entire Gainesville-Ocala market. FDEM hopes to provide the service to as much of Florida as possible before the 2025 hurricane season begins in June. Messages are currently available in both English and Spanish, with plans to add Haitian Creole and other languages as the program expands.
“With the integration of artificial intelligence, BEACON is the natural progression of the WUFT public service model and is in reality a powerful testament to the country, university and station’s commitment to public service and safety,” said interim UF President Kent Fuchs.
Craig Fugate, former director of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and Alachua County Emergency Management, highlighted BEACON’s ability to reach smaller communities in more rural areas of the state with targeted information.
He also pointed out that BEACON is not intended to replace the Emergency Alert System or other warnings.
“It complements these warnings by now giving people actionable information about what to do,” Fugate said. “This has been a long time coming.”
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida Division of Emergency Management unveils BEACON radio system
