When emergencies occur, public safety officials utilize timely and dependable systems to notify individuals. This webpage provides information regarding various types of warning alerts that can be received and the methods to receive them.
Wireless Emergency Alerts
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are short emergency messages, typically under 90 characters, transmitted directly to your phone by government alerting authorities through your mobile carrier. Authorized government partners, such as local and state public safety agencies, FEMA, the FCC, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Weather Service, are involved in this process.
When the appropriate authorities issue an alert, the cell towers in the affected areas will detect and transmit this alert to all phones connected to it. It is important to note that this system does not track your location, meaning that even if you are connected to the affected cell tower, you may still receive the emergency alert even if you are not physically present in the affected area. There are three categories of warnings that will activate a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) – Presidental Alerts, Imminent Threat Alerts, and Amber Alerts. For further information on each alert, please refer to the provided graphic.
- WEAs look like text messages but are designed to get your attention with a unique sound and vibration repeated twice.
- WEAs are no more than 360 characters and include the type and time of the alert, any action you should take and the agency issuing the alert.
- WEAs are not affected by network congestion and will not disrupt texts, calls or data sessions that are in progress.
- You are not charged for receiving WEAs and there is no need to subscribe.
If you are not receiving WEAs, follow these steps to troubleshoot your mobile device.
- Check the settings on your mobile device and review your user manual (you may be able to find this online too).
- Older phones may not be WEA capable, and some cell phone models require you to enable WEAs.
- Some mobile service providers call these messages “Government Alerts,” or “Emergency Alert Messages.”
- Check with your wireless provider to see if they can resolve the issue.
- All major phone providers and some smaller providers participate in WEA.
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) registry of WEA providers.
Why is this important to me?
Being able to receive alerts at the appropriate moment can assist in ensuring your safety in emergency situations. The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system allows for the delivery of alerts to your mobile device when you might be at risk, eliminating the requirement to download an application or subscribe to a service.
What types of alerts will I receive?
Some of the alerts that you can potentially receive include Extreme Weather Warnings, Local emergencies that require evacuation or immediate action, AMBER Alerts, and Presidential Alerts that are issued during a national emergency.
How will I know the difference between WEA and a regular text message?
WEA messages consist of a dual repetition of a distinctive tone and vibration.
What should I do when I receive a WEA message?
In order to maintain the same meaning, the text can be rephrased as follows: – Follow any instructions given in the emergency message and proceed in a systematic manner. – Look for additional information from reliable sources such as your preferred TV or radio station, NOAA Weather Radio, news websites, desktop or mobile applications, or any other trusted source of information.
Will I receive a WEA message if I’m visiting an area where I don’t live, or outside the area where my phone is registered?
If your wireless carrier participates in the program and you have a WEA-capable phone, then yes, you can receive alerts. To find out if your mobile device is WEA-capable and to learn about carrier participation, please visit https://www.ctia.org/wea or get in touch with your wireless carrier.
What if I travel into a threat area after a WEA message is already sent?
If you enter an area of potential danger after an alert has been sent, your device capable of receiving Wireless Emergency Alerts will receive the message once you are in the area.
When will I start receiving WEA messages from the NWS?
The NWS started taking part in the WEA service in late June 2012. Certain mobile devices, particularly older ones, do not have the capability to receive WEA messages. When purchasing a new mobile device, it is likely that it will have the ability to receive WEA messages. For further information on WEA, including links to your wireless service providers’ specific WEA service details, please visit: www.ctia.org/wea.
Is this the same service public safety agencies have asked the public to register for?
No, but they work together. On some occasions, local agencies may have requested your participation in order to receive telephone calls, text messages, or emails. These messages frequently provide specific information regarding a significant event. WEA messages, on the other hand, are brief messages aimed at capturing your attention during an emergency. They may not provide the same level of detail as other notification services.
Emergency Alert System (EAS)
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a nationwide public warning system that permits the president to communicate with the entire nation within 10 minutes in the event of a national emergency. Additionally, state and local authorities have the ability to utilize the system to share crucial emergency details, including weather updates, immediate dangers, AMBER alerts, and localized incident information directed towards specific areas.
- The EAS is sent through broadcasters, satellite digital audio services, direct broadcast satellite providers, cable television systems and wireless cable systems.
- The President has sole responsibility for determining when the national-level EAS will be activated. FEMA and the FCC are responsible for national-level tests and exercises.
- The EAS is also used when all other means of alerting the public are unavailable.
NOAA Weather Radio (NWR)
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a network of radio stations spread across the entire country. These stations consistently transmit weather updates according to your geographical location from the closest National Weather Service office.
- NWR broadcasts official warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- NWR also broadcasts alerts of non-weather emergencies such as national security or public safety threats through the Emergency Alert System.
FEMA Mobile App
The FEMA App provides various features such as receiving live weather and emergency alerts, sending notifications to your loved ones, finding nearby emergency shelters, obtaining preparedness strategies, and more.
- Receive real-time weather and emergency alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide.
- Find a nearby shelter if you need to evacuate to a safe space.
- Find out if your location is eligible for FEMA assistance, find Disaster Recovery Center locations, and get answers to your most pressing questions.
