Pager-based community alerting system

A pager-based alert system includes a monitor centre 10 that is in telephonic or data communication with a paging station 14 allowing the monitor centre to send multi-digit code words, where selected digits comprise an address for selecting one or more of a plurality of paging receivers 16 (e.g. as a geographical or logical group) and to direct the receiver to output visible and/or audible signals indicative of a particular alert condition, e.g. severe weather warning, delayed school openings etc. Each paging receiver comprises a plurality of visual signalling devices 36-46 such as LEDs, each of which becomes illuminated when a particular event is signalled. The LEDs may have overlays bearing icons to indicate what each light represents (Fig. 5). Additional text information may be communicated via a display screen. A "visual enhancer", i.e. flashing pattern of LEDs 62, may be used to attract the subscriber's attention.