{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,22]],"date-time":"2025-11-22T18:29:39Z","timestamp":1763836179610,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":56,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,10]],"date-time":"2023-10-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1696896000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"European Union\u2019s Horizon 2020 FET Open programme","award":["899261"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["899261"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["MTI"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Public warning systems are an essential element of safe cities. However, the functionality of neither traditional nor digital emergency warnings is understood well enough from the perspective of citizens. This study examines smart city development from the perspective of safety by exploring citizens\u2019 viewpoints. It investigates people\u2019s perceptions of the ways in which they obtain warnings and information about emergencies involving health risks. Data were collected in the form of focus group interviews and semi-structured interviews in Finland, Germany, and Greece. The results suggest that people place a lot of trust in their social network, receiving text messages, and their ability to use web-based search engines in order to obtain public warnings. The study discusses the challenges identified by citizens in the use of conventional radio and television transmissions and sirens for public warnings. Based on the results, citizens demonstrate informed ignorance about existing mobile emergency applications. Our results imply that it is not sufficient to build emergency communication infrastructure: the development of smart, safe cities requires continuous work and the integration of both hard and soft infrastructure-oriented strategies, i.e., technological infrastructure development including digitalisation and education, advancement of knowledge, and participation of people. Both strategic aspects are essential to enable people to take advantage of novel digital applications in emergency situations.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/mti7100094","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,11]],"date-time":"2023-10-11T02:11:01Z","timestamp":1696990261000},"page":"94","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Safe City: A Study of Channels for Public Warnings for Emergency Communication in Finland, Germany, and Greece"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"7","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6280-8097","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sari","family":"Yli-Kauhaluoma","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"VERIFIN, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Milt","family":"Statheropoulos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Analytical Chemistry and Technology Unit, National Technical University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9842-7824","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anne","family":"Zygmanowski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Electrical Engineering and Measurement Technology, Leibniz University Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8518-0407","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Osmo","family":"Anttalainen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"VERIFIN, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7049-1659","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hanna","family":"Hakulinen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"VERIFIN, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-5495-0759","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria Theodora","family":"Kontogianni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Analytical Chemistry and Technology Unit, National Technical University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7806-881X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Matti","family":"Kuula","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"VERIFIN, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1735-5767","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Johannes","family":"Pernaa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Unit of Chemistry Teacher Education, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9579-0380","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paula","family":"Vanninen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"VERIFIN, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S3","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cities.2014.06.007","article-title":"Smart city policies: A spatial approach","volume":"41","author":"Angelidou","year":"2014","journal-title":"Cities"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Su, K., Li, J., and Fu, H. (2011, January 9\u201311). Smart city and the applications. Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Electronics, Communications and Control (ICECC), Ningbo, China.","DOI":"10.1109\/ICECC.2011.6066743"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"522","DOI":"10.1016\/j.proeng.2017.06.090","article-title":"Smart city, safety and security","volume":"192","author":"Ristvej","year":"2017","journal-title":"Procedia Eng."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Giffinger, R., Fertner, C., Kramar, H., Kalasek, R., Pichler-Milanovic, N., and Meijers, E. (2007). Smart Cities: Ranking of European Medium-Sized Cities, Centre of Regional Science, Vienna University of Technology. Available online: http:\/\/www.smart-cities.eu\/download\/smart_cities_final_report.pdf."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"836","DOI":"10.1007\/s11036-020-01524-4","article-title":"On smart city and safe city concepts","volume":"25","author":"Ristvej","year":"2020","journal-title":"Mob. Netw. Appl."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jacobs, G., Suojanen, I., Horton, K.E., and Bayerl, P.S. (2021). International Security Management\u2014New Solutions to Complexity, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-42523-4"},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"262","article-title":"\u201cSafe City\u201d\u2014An open and reliable solution for a safe and smart city","volume":"79","author":"Fedorov","year":"2012","journal-title":"Elektroteh. Vestn. Engl. Ed."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2899","DOI":"10.5194\/nhess-21-2899-2021","article-title":"Are sirens effective tools to alert the population in France?","volume":"21","author":"Douvinet","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"153","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tele.2013.02.002","article-title":"Social acceptance of location-based mobile government services for emergency management","volume":"31","author":"Aloudat","year":"2014","journal-title":"Telemat. Inform."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"136","DOI":"10.1111\/1468-5973.12108","article-title":"Disaster warnings in your pocket: How audiences interpret mobile alerts for an unfamiliar hazard","volume":"24","author":"Bean","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Contingencies Crisis Manag."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"297","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijdrr.2017.06.009","article-title":"Mobile applications in crisis informatics literature: A systematic review","volume":"24","author":"Tan","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduct."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1063","DOI":"10.1007\/s11115-021-00562-0","article-title":"Smart city services: An empirical analysis of citizen preferences","volume":"22","author":"Wirtz","year":"2022","journal-title":"Public Organ. Rev."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sharifi, A., Allam, Z., Feizizadeh, B., and Ghamari, H. (2021). Three decades of research on smart cities: Mapping knowledge structure and trends. Sustainability, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/su13137140"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nam, T., and Pardo, T.A. (2011, January 12\u201315). Conceptualizing smart city with dimensions of technology, people, and institutions. Proceedings of the 12th Annual International Digital Government Research Conference: Digital Government Innovation in Challenging Times, College Park, MD, USA.","DOI":"10.1145\/2037556.2037602"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102938","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cities.2020.102938","article-title":"Implementing smart city strategies in Greece: Appetite for success","volume":"108","author":"Siokas","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cities"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e12753","DOI":"10.1111\/exsy.12753","article-title":"Conceptualizing smart city applications: Requirements, architecture, security issues, and emerging trends","volume":"39","author":"Haque","year":"2022","journal-title":"Expert Syst."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1080\/00420980220099050","article-title":"Bridging Urban digital divides? Urban polarisation and information and communications technologies (ICTs)","volume":"39","author":"Graham","year":"2002","journal-title":"Urban Stud."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.techfore.2018.12.018","article-title":"Understanding smart cities: Innovation ecosystems, technological advancements, and societal challenges","volume":"142","author":"Appio","year":"2019","journal-title":"Technol. Forecast. Soc. Chang."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Alfouzan, F.A., Kim, K., and Alzahrani, N.M. (2022). An efficient framework for securing the smart city communication networks. Sensors, 22.","DOI":"10.3390\/s22083053"},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"303","article-title":"Will the real smart city please stand up?","volume":"12","author":"Hollands","year":"2008","journal-title":"City Anal. Urban Trends Cult. Theor. Pol."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Mansoor, A., and Chandra, K. (2018, January 12\u201313). Becoming a smart city: Best practices, failures and practical challenges. Proceedings of the CeDEM Asia 2018: International Conference for E-Democracy and Open Government, Yokohama, Japan."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ammara, U., Rasheed, K., Mansoor, A., Al-Fuqaha, A., and Qadir, J. (2022). Smart cities from the perspective of systems. Systems, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/systems10030077"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1177\/0263276414548490","article-title":"Lively infrastructure","volume":"31","author":"Amin","year":"2014","journal-title":"Theory Cult. Soc."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102665","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scs.2020.102665","article-title":"Safe cities in the urban world: A comparative cluster dynamics analysis through machine learning","volume":"66","author":"Kourtit","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sustain. Cities Soc."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cities.2017.08.022","article-title":"Future cities: Conceptualizing the future based on a critical examination of existing notions of cities","volume":"72","author":"Khan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Cities"},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"Van den Berg, L., Pol, P.M.J., Mingardo, G., and Speller, C.J.M. (2006). The Safe City: Safety and Urban Development in European Cities, Euricur."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"591","DOI":"10.1111\/rsp3.12276","article-title":"Comparative urban performance assessment of safe cities through data envelopment analysis","volume":"13","author":"Kourtit","year":"2021","journal-title":"Reg. Sci. Policy Pract."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cities.2003.10.005","article-title":"Safety and dwelling in Singapore","volume":"21","author":"Yuen","year":"2004","journal-title":"Cities"},{"key":"ref_29","unstructured":"Lang, J. (1994). Urban Design: The American Experience, John Wiley and Sons."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jacobs, G., Suojanen, I., Horton, K.E., and Bayerl, P.S. (2021). International Security Management\u2014New solutions to Complexity, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-42523-4"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shayan, S., Kim, K.P., Ma, T., and Nguyen, T.H.D. (2020). The first two decades of smart city research from a risk perspective. Sustainability, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/su12219280"},{"key":"ref_32","first-page":"53","article-title":"Reflections on self-tracking routines: Conducting maintenance of digital data","volume":"10","year":"2019","journal-title":"Tecnoscienza Italian J. Sci. Technol. Stud."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"Tan, M.L., Prasanna, R., Stock, K., Hudson-Doyle, E., Leonard, G., and Johnston, D. (2019, January 19\u201322). Enhancing the usability of a disaster app: Exploring the perspective of the public as users. Proceedings of the 16th ISCRAM Conference, Val\u00e8ncia, Spain."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.1007\/s12599-021-00704-0","article-title":"A protection-motivation perspective to explain intention to use and continue to use mobile warning systems","volume":"64","author":"Benaretti","year":"2022","journal-title":"Bus. Inf. Syst. Eng."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apergo.2006.04.020","article-title":"Safety communications: Warnings","volume":"37","author":"Laughery","year":"2006","journal-title":"Appl. Ergon."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1504\/IJEM.2020.110108","article-title":"Knowledge, experience and preparedness: Factors influencing citizen decision-making in severe weather situations","volume":"16","author":"Guillot","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Emerg. Manag."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)1527-6988(2000)1:2(119)","article-title":"Hazard warning systems: Review of 20 years of progress","volume":"1","author":"Sorensen","year":"2000","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards Rev."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20220165","DOI":"10.1515\/noise-2022-0165","article-title":"Case study on the audibility of siren-driven alert systems","volume":"10","author":"Aumond","year":"2023","journal-title":"Noise Mapp."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101476","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijdrr.2020.101476","article-title":"Why don\u2019t bushfire warnings work as intended? Responses to official warnings during bushfires in New South Wales, Australia","volume":"45","author":"Whittaker","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduct."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"535","DOI":"10.1177\/0013916517709561","article-title":"Milling and public warning","volume":"50","author":"Wood","year":"2018","journal-title":"Environ. Behav."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhou, Z., Zhang, X., and Ki, E.J. (2023). Enhancing the efficacy of instructing and adjusting information: An exploration of interactivity and vividness. J. Contingencies Crisis Manag., 1\u201317.","DOI":"10.1111\/1468-5973.12482"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102917","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijdrr.2022.102917","article-title":"Actionable and understandable? Evidence-based recommendations for the design of (multi-) hazard warning messages","volume":"74","author":"Dallo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduct."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"615","DOI":"10.1007\/s13753-020-00282-x","article-title":"Modified usability framework for disaster apps: A qualitative thematic analysis of user reviews","volume":"11","author":"Tan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Disaster Risk Sci."},{"key":"ref_44","unstructured":"Karma, S., Georgiou, S., Boukis, I., Argyris, I., Pelli, E., and Statheropoulos, M. (2021). Multi-hazard Risk Approach and Inclusive Community Engagement in Disaster Risk Management: Experiences & lessons Learned by a Recent Wildfire Event in the Greek Island of Rhodes amidst COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis, European Center for Forest Fires."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xu, D., Yan, C., Zhao, Z., Weng, J., and Ma, S. (2021). External communication barriers among elderly deaf and hard of hearing people in China during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency isolation: A qualitative study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph182111519"},{"key":"ref_46","unstructured":"(2023, September 06). GIDPROvis. Available online: https:\/\/www.helsinki.fi\/en\/projects\/gidprovis."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16094069221127068","DOI":"10.1177\/16094069221127068","article-title":"A systematic comparison of in-person and video-based online interviewing","volume":"21","author":"Lobe","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Qual. Methods"},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Stewart, D.W., Shamdasani, P.N., and Rook, D.W. (2007). Focus Groups. Theory and Practice, Sage publications. [2nd ed.].","DOI":"10.4135\/9781412991841"},{"key":"ref_49","unstructured":"Emergency Response Centre Agency (2023, January 16). 112 Suomi Application. Available online: https:\/\/112.fi\/en\/112-suomi-application."},{"key":"ref_50","unstructured":"Bundesamt f\u00fcr Bev\u00f6lkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (2023, January 16). Warn-App NINA. Available online: https:\/\/www.bbk.bund.de\/DE\/Warnung-Vorsorge\/Warn-App-NINA\/warn-app-nina_node.html."},{"key":"ref_51","unstructured":"Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection (2023, January 16). Forest Fire Risk Warning Application of the General Secretariat for Civil Protection. Available online: https:\/\/www.civilprotection.gr\/en\/112-emergency-communications-service."},{"key":"ref_52","unstructured":"Silverman, D. (2004). Qualitative Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, Sage."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Flick, U. (2014). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Data Analysis, Sage Publications.","DOI":"10.4135\/9781446282243"},{"key":"ref_54","unstructured":"Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis, Sage Publications."},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Eriksson, P., and Kovalainen, A. (2008). Qualitative Research in Business Studies, Sage Publications.","DOI":"10.4135\/9780857028044"},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.1145\/1226736.1226767","article-title":"Public warning in the networked age: Open standards to the rescue?","volume":"50","author":"Botterell","year":"2007","journal-title":"Commun. ACM"}],"container-title":["Multimodal Technologies and Interaction"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2414-4088\/7\/10\/94\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T21:03:58Z","timestamp":1760130238000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2414-4088\/7\/10\/94"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,10]]},"references-count":56,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,10]]}},"alternative-id":["mti7100094"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mti7100094","relation":{},"ISSN":["2414-4088"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2414-4088"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,10]]}}}