Today virtually anyone with a cell phone, anywhere in the country, is going to get the same text message.
“THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed”, is what it will say.
And FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency hopes this nationwide test goes well.
With the headline on the alert you will get being the words, “Presidential Alert”, some may think that this is something President Trump is doing, but it is not.
In fact plans for today’s test began when George W. Bush was in the White House when he signed an executive order in 2006.
In the years after 9-11, a plan was begun to make sure we had a system to notify Americans about present or imminent dangers including terrorism, war or natural disasters.
The Emergency Alert System on radio and TV has been around for a long time and still will be with it too running the test today as well.
But with pretty much everyone now with a modern cell phone, this additional alert system is being tested on everyone’s phone across the country, some 200 million or more probably.
So if you’re at office, the store, the restaurant or at school, it could be a noisy place for a moment as everyone’s cell phones will get the text and hear a loud emergency tone.
And today’s test is a good time for all of us to make sure we are prepared for an emergency especially here in Southern California where wildfires are not uncommon especially this time of year.
GET INFO ON HOW TO BE PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY.
(Photo credit 10News)