Locals react to FEMA “Presidential Alert” test
Cell phones were buzzing across the country as the federal government conducted a nationwide wireless emergency test.
Millions of Americans heard and saw this alert coming from their smartphones Wednesday morning, receiving this message: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed” at 11:18 a.m. local time.
“Kind of crazy. Like everyone got it. The whole place was like beeping,” Amanda Nolan, a worker at Koffi in Palm Springs, said.
The alert was seen at coffee shop during the busy lunch hour.
“Everyone’s on the phone these days….social media. It’s very effective,” Nolan said.
it’s a test mandated to be run every one to three years by federal law, .making sure the country knows if there’s a national emergency. Riverside County emergency officials say there’s no need to worry about this notification.
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“This is just a test. Don’t get scared about the text alert,” Jose Contreras, Emergency Services Coordinator with the Riverside County Emergency Management Department, said.
The federal government says these special alerts are similar to other alerts like Amber Alerts, but by law, no one can opt out of them. The alert can only be used for national emergencies, not general messages.
“We need to take in consideration the good use of all the electronics and technologies,” Contreras said.
With public awareness about the national alert county officials are encouraging people to sign up for local alerts to stay up to date.
“Sign in. That’s the way we in the county are going to be notifying you of when you need to evacuate and what you need to do in that emergency or that alert,” he said.
People are encouraged to sign up for the alerts and can be done so here.
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