All across the nation today, phones pinged with a “Presidential Alert.”
This fake alert was part of two tests of an emergency warning system test nationwide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Federal Communications Commission send would realistically send alerts to warn Americans of dangerous weather, missing children, and national emergencies.
The alert read, “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
The text message was followed by an Emergency Alert System test broadcasted on televisions and radio.
FEMA and FEC officials said they expected about 3/4 of cell phones in the United States to be alerted.
“Since 2006, Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have adopted rules governing these wireless alerts for companies that agree to participate in the program,” said Craig Silliman, Verizon executive vice president – public policy and general counsel. “Verizon has voluntarily participated in the program from its beginning, and nearly all the handsets we sell to customers are capable of providing the alerts.”
In 2015, Congress passed a law directing FEMA to integrate the government’s alerting systems with one another. FEMA is currently testing the systems.
Users won’t have the option of opting out of alerts.
The test was originally been planned for the 20th, but it was delayed due to Hurricane Florence.
“Events during the past month such as Hurricane Florence illustrate the importance of programs like the wireless emergency alert system, and the importance of testing them,” Silliman said.