The AF base on which I reside has what we call a 'giant voice' speaker system.  There are big speakers on poles throughout the housing areas, and they're pretty loud.  The national anthem is piped through these speakers for retreat every day at 1700, and they're also used for exercises and severe weather warnings.

So, we have a system designed to get necessary information to a large number of people in a short amount of time.

This afternoon I was at the store getting a movie, when i saw the manager putting signs over all the soda faountain and icee machines.  I went over to read one of them, and saw that the entire base was under a 'boil water' advisory until further notice - we have a contaminated water supply.  I grabbed a few jugs of spring water and came home...then went door to door down the street telling my neighbors that we all needed to boil our water until further notice.

That was an hour ago.  As yet, there hasn't been an announcement made over the 'giant voice'.  To me, this is EXACTLY the kind of situation the 'giant voice' should be used for.  This information needs to get to a large amount of people (the entire base population) in a short amount of time (ie NOW)...so why hasn't it been announced yet? 

Who knows.  As anyone who has been around the military can tell you, there's the sensible way of doing things, then there's the military way.

I guess this announcement is being done the military way.