Lulu’s Law Mandates Shark Attacks Trigger Emergency Wireless Alerts in 180 Days

“Lulu’s Law,” despite its brief text, makes a very specific change to how we get public safety warnings on our phones. This bill mandates that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must, within 180 days of the law passing, issue an order that officially recognizes a shark attack as an event qualifying for a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA).

The New Emergency Alert Criteria

If you live near the coast or spend any time at the beach, this is the part that matters most. Currently, WEA alerts—those loud, jarring notifications that pop up on your smartphone—are reserved for things like severe weather (tornadoes, flash floods), Amber Alerts, and presidential messages. Section 2 of Lulu’s Law adds “shark attack” to that list, treating it with the same urgency as a potentially life-threatening weather event. The language is clear: the FCC must ensure that a shark attack qualifies for an “Alert Message,” as defined by existing federal rules (47 CFR 10.10(a)).

This means that if you’re on the beach in an affected area, your phone could buzz with a notification warning you about a confirmed shark incident nearby. For surfers, swimmers, and coastal workers, this is a clear safety upgrade, providing immediate, localized information that could prevent an injury.

The Risk of Alert Fatigue

While the goal is undeniably public safety, the practical implementation raises a classic modern problem: alert fatigue. Emergency alerts are effective because they are rare and signify an immediate, widespread danger. If the FCC’s new rule interprets “shark attack” too broadly—for instance, issuing alerts for minor incidents or attacks that occur far from populated swimming areas—it could lead to people ignoring these warnings altogether.

Think of it this way: if your phone buzzes every time there’s a localized marine incident, you might start silencing all emergency alerts. This decreases the effectiveness of the entire system, meaning the next time a truly catastrophic event like a major hurricane or a chemical spill happens, the public might be slow to react. For wireless carriers, this also means updating their systems to handle this new category of alerts, adding another layer of complexity to the existing infrastructure.

What Happens Next

Lulu’s Law gives the FCC a tight 180-day deadline to figure out the specifics. They will have to define the parameters: how close does the shark attack need to be to shore? Does it require confirmation from local authorities? The law itself is specific about what must be alerted (a shark attack), but the FCC will be responsible for defining when and where that alert is appropriate, balancing the need for immediate warning against the risk of over-alerting the public.