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CNN Live Sunday

Kuwait Puts Mass Alert System in Place in Preparation for War

Aired March 16, 2003 - 18:55   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq's southern neighbor, Kuwait, may find itself downwind of any chemical or biological agent that may be released during a way. Richard Blystone reports on how modern technology is helping Kuwaiti officials reach hundreds of thousands of people with mass alerts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD BLYSTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is a demonstration of what Kuwaitis will hear if attacked by Iraq, recording courtesy of Kuwaiti Civil Defense.

(on camera): Sirens have been warning people of danger for a long time but they can't tell you things like anthrax cloud on the way. You have four hours to get ready and after all this is the 21st century.

(voice-over): And they say if you see a Kuwaiti without a cell phone you know he's lost it. That hasn't escaped Kuwait's Civil Defense Department, and so in Arabic and in English, messages like this reach a third of the population.

The safety and security of our country is our responsibility. Be prepared to protect it. For the safety of you and your family, follow the civil defense instructions, the government's counter to rumors, telling you...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't worry. We're here. It's a reassurance for the Kuwaiti public and for our customers.

BLYSTONE: Here's how it works. Civil defense calls a service provider with a message. It's compressed in 160 characters in English or 70 in Arabic. This server dials up its 700,000 subscribers and three hours later the word is out. As the confrontation heats up, the traffic will increase as the messages get more serious, including if it comes to that, the cold call and the message no one wants to hear, calamity is coming and it's for you.

Richard Blystone CNN, Kuwait.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




War>


Aired March 16, 2003 - 18:55   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq's southern neighbor, Kuwait, may find itself downwind of any chemical or biological agent that may be released during a way. Richard Blystone reports on how modern technology is helping Kuwaiti officials reach hundreds of thousands of people with mass alerts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD BLYSTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is a demonstration of what Kuwaitis will hear if attacked by Iraq, recording courtesy of Kuwaiti Civil Defense.

(on camera): Sirens have been warning people of danger for a long time but they can't tell you things like anthrax cloud on the way. You have four hours to get ready and after all this is the 21st century.

(voice-over): And they say if you see a Kuwaiti without a cell phone you know he's lost it. That hasn't escaped Kuwait's Civil Defense Department, and so in Arabic and in English, messages like this reach a third of the population.

The safety and security of our country is our responsibility. Be prepared to protect it. For the safety of you and your family, follow the civil defense instructions, the government's counter to rumors, telling you...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't worry. We're here. It's a reassurance for the Kuwaiti public and for our customers.

BLYSTONE: Here's how it works. Civil defense calls a service provider with a message. It's compressed in 160 characters in English or 70 in Arabic. This server dials up its 700,000 subscribers and three hours later the word is out. As the confrontation heats up, the traffic will increase as the messages get more serious, including if it comes to that, the cold call and the message no one wants to hear, calamity is coming and it's for you.

Richard Blystone CNN, Kuwait.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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