Committee backs uniform evacuation color code to reduce public confusion

The Senate Resources Committee moved forward Senate Bill 192 on April 17, a proposal to standardize color-coded evacuation and imminent-risk messaging across Alaska.

Laura O'Shea, staff to Senator Jesse Bjorkman, told the committee the bill "provides continuity across the state for the use of color coding designation when agencies are educating the public on imminent risks so the uniform color would be green essentially pay attention yellow be prepared and red go there has been some confusion because some jurisdictions prefer to use red as stay in place and that creates confusion."

Senator Kawasaki questioned whether the public would reliably understand the proposed labels, noting that she personally associates red with "stop" or "danger" and worried about potential confusion. Through the chair, a staff member (identified in the transcript as Heather Vickery) responded that communications professionals and emergency managers who requested the bill asked for the convention that red means imminent danger and that people need to leave.

Senator Kawasaki moved SB192 from committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal note; the chair noted no objections and said the committee will sign transmittal documents after the meeting. The transcript records questions and clarification about public comprehension of color terms but does not show a roll-call vote; the bill was advanced by unanimous consent in committee proceedings recorded on the transcript.

If enacted, the bill aims to reduce mixed signals where one jurisdiction's "red" could be interpreted differently by residents in another jurisdiction or by travelers, a point raised by committee members during discussion.