A device, of compact dimensions, and method that enables Public Safety agencies to issue geographically specific alerts to which the device responds. Alerts include complex alert area boundary data interpreted by the device. The device responds only to alerts germane to the its installed location. When activated, the device annunciates alerts using lights, tones, speech, and text, indicating the alerts' nature and desired citizen action. The invention augments the national EAS system capabilities using existing digital paging or digital subscription data infrastructures that broadcast the alerts using FM subcarriers. The invention further: a) does not require citizen participation or maintenance beyond acquisition and installation, b) does not require skilled use, c) is multilingual, d) provides annunciation sufficient to awaken sleeping people, e) is always on, f) is economically manufacturable, g) is in-field upgradeable.