Earthquakes, PAGER

PAGER, short for Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response, is an automated system developed and run by the US Geological Survey (USGS) that produces information concerning the impact of significant earthquakes around the world within approximately 20 min of any magnitude 5.5 or larger event. PAGER rapidly assesses earthquake impacts by combining populations exposed to estimates of shaking intensity with models of economic and fatality losses based on past earthquakes in each country or region of the world. The main purpose of the PAGER system is to inform emergency responders, government and aid agencies, and the media regarding the scope of the potential disaster. Earthquake alerts – which were formerly sent based on event magnitude and location or population exposure to shaking – are generated based on the estimated range of fatalities and/or economic losses.