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WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are short emergency messages from authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial public alerting authorities that can be broadcast from cell towers to any WEA‐enabled mobile device in a locally targeted area. Wireless providers primarily use cell broadcast technology for WEA message delivery. WEA is a partnership among FEMA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and wireless providers to enhance public safety.
WEAs can be sent to your mobile device when you may be in harm’s way, without the need to download an app or subscribe to a service. WEAs are messages that warn the public of an impending natural or human-made disaster. The messages are short and can provide immediate, life-saving information.
- 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 (90 on many phones) 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.
Types of Wireless Emergency Alerts
Presidential Alerts are a special class of alerts only sent during a national emergency.
Imminent Threat Alerts include natural or human-made disasters, extreme weather, active shooters, and other threatening emergencies that are current or emerging.
Public Safety Alerts contain information about a threat that may not be imminent or after an imminent threat has occurred. Public safety alerts are less severe than imminent threat alerts.
America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) Alerts are urgent bulletins issued in child-abduction cases. Rapid and effective public alerts often play a crucial role in returning a missing child safely. An AMBER Alert instantly enables the entire community to assist in the search for and safe recovery of the child.
Opt-in Test Messages assess the capability of state and local officials to send their WEAs. The message will state that this is a TEST.
Wireless Emergency Alert Tips
Follow the action advised by the alert. The message will show the type and time of the alert, any action you should take, and the agency issuing the alert. The message will be no more than 360 characters. You can get more details from your local authorities, local news or trusted social media sources.
WEAs have a unique tone and vibration, both repeated twice. WEA messages are free and will not count towards texting limits on your wireless plan.
Wireless providers are selling devices with WEA capability included. To find out if your phone can receive WEA alerts, contact your wireless provider. All the major providers participate in WEA on a voluntary basis.
If you are on a phone call when a WEA is sent in your area, the message will be delayed until you finish your call.
WEAs do not track your location. They are broadcast from area cell towers to mobile phones within the defined geographic location. Every WEA-capable phone within range receives the message.
WEAs are not affected by network congestion.
Receiving Alerts Away from Home
Wireless Emergency Alerts are not subscription based and there is no need to provide personal information to be able to receive a WEA. WEAs are based on location. You will receive a WEA message, even if you are:
- In an area where you don't live
- Outside the area where your phone is registered
If you travel into an area after a WEA was sent your WEA-capable device will receive the message, if the alert is still active.
Not Receiving an Alert
If someone near you received a WEA and you did not, it may be due to inadequate cell reception, or because when on a call, some mobile phones will not show an alert — this varies by make and model.
Not receiving an alert may also be because your mobile phone is:
- Set to “off” or “airplane mode”
- Not connected to a cell site broadcasting the alert
- Connected to a cell site that is not broadcasting the alert, undergoing maintenance or is out-of-service
- The device is opted out of receiving alerts. The location of the alerts opt-in/opt-out menu typically is in the notification settings menu.
- If your mobile phone continues to receive the same WEA over and over it is most likely an issue with the device. Mobile phones should ignore subsequent re-broadcasts of a WEA but sometimes a device gets stuck in a loop repeatedly alerting for the same WEA. Powering off the device and turning it back on may help.
Emergency Notification Testing near Palo Verde Generating Station
On Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, Palo Verde Generating Station (PVGS), in cooperation with local and State agencies, will test the outdoor warning sirens located within a 10-mile radius of the power plant. In conjunction with the siren test and in the same 10-mile radius, Maricopa County will test Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA).
Testing will involve activating the sirens twice and WEA once, sirens will be activated at 12:00 p.m. and again at 12:30 p.m. for approximately three minutes each time. WEA will be tested at 12:15 p.m. Individuals will be stationed at each of the 70 sirens and they will report siren activations and wireless alert notifications to emergency managers following the test.
The siren system is part of the “Alert and Notification System” required by federal regulations. Testing of the siren system is required by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The versatility of the WEA system allows notification to the entire county or specific areas within the county. On Dec 2 the test area will be limited to the siren test area and only to those phones that have been enabled to receive test alerts.
The message to accompany the WEA will state, “THIS IS A TEST OF MARICOPA COUNTY WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED”.
In the unlikely event of an emergency at Palo Verde requiring public actions, one of three response agencies (Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office or the Arizona Department of Public Safety) will activate the alerting sirens to direct residents to turn on their radios and televisions. Likewise, wireless alerts (activated by Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management) will direct residents to do the same. An Emergency Alert System (EAS) message will then broadcast over radio & television and provide emergency instructions and information.
For more information, contact the Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management at 602-273-1411 or visit ready.maricopa.gov.
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Notes to the media: The Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management, in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, coordinates and implements offsite response plans for the Palo Verde Generating Station. Palo Verde Generating Station is operated by Arizona Public Service (APS) and is owned by a consortium of seven utilities in the Southwest. It is the largest power producer of any kind in the United States.
- Why did I receive a WEA from Maricopa County?
- Maricopa County Emergency Management conducted a WEA test to correspond with the annual Palo Verde Generating Station siren test. In order to receive the WEA test, phone users had to manually enable the phone to receive this type of test alert.
- These tests help ensure this notification system will work if needed for a real event.
- Who was supposed to receive the WEA?
- The WEA test was targeted towards people that are physically within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (10-mile radius) around Palo Verde Generating Station at the time of the test message (12:15 PM). Only those phone users, which have a phone that was manually enabled to receive the test WEA should have received the test.
- The 10-mile and 50-mile emergency planning zone maps can be found at this address: https://ready.maricopa.gov/1659/Emergency-Planning-Zones
- “I was outside of the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone from Palo Verde Generating Station, why did I receive a WEA?”
- The WEA message transmits from cellular towers. It is possible that you may receive the WEA message if you live near or outside the 10-mile boundary due to location of the nearest cellular tower.
- “I was inside the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone from Palo Verde Generating Station, why did I not receive a WEA?”
- If your cell phone did not have service at the time of the WEA, it will not receive it.
- If you did not opt in to receiving this type of message, your cell phone will not receive it.
- If you are out of the identified area during the test, your cell phone will not receive it.
- If your cellphone was turned off, in airplane mode, not WEA compatible or software was not up to date, it will not receive the WEA.
- Is WEA being tested because of a problem at Palo Verde Generating Station?
- No, the Palo Verde Generating Station sirens are tested annually, this provided us a good opportunity to test an additional public safety notification system. WEA can be sent out for real world emergencies requiring public action. WEA can also be used for other hazards including Extreme Weather (Flooding, Wildland Fires, Dust Storms, etc.)
- Can you help me adjust the settings on my phone to change turn off WEA notifications?
- We cannot. We encourage you to allow your cell phone to receive WEA and other emergency messaging. If there’s a life-threatening incident that requires mass evacuations or sheltering-in-place, this type of messaging will likely be a primary method of notification to the general public. Contact your cellphone provider If you need assistance adjusting your cellphone settings.
- More information from FEMA
Prueba de Notificación de Emergencia cerca de la Estación Generadora Palo Verde
El miércoles 1 de diciembre, la Estación Generadora Palo Verde (PVGS), en cooperación con agencias locales y estatales, probará las sirenas de advertencia al aire libre ubicadas dentro de un radio de 10 millas de la planta de energía. Junto con la prueba de sirenas y en el mismo radio de 10 millas, el condado de Maricopa probará las Alertas Inalámbricas de Emergencia (WEA).
Las pruebas implicarán activar las sirenas dos veces y WEA una vez, las sirenas se activarán a las 12:00 p.m. y nuevamente a las 12:30 p.m. durante aproximadamente tres minutos cada vez. WEA se probará a las 12:15 p.m. Personas estarán ubicadas en cada una de las 70 sirenas e informarán las activaciones de las sirenas y las notificaciones de alerta inalámbrica a los administradores de emergencias después de la prueba.
El sistema de sirena es parte del "Sistema de Alerta y Notificación" requerido por las regulaciones federales. La Comisión Reguladora Nuclear (NRC) y la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA) requieren la prueba del sistema de sirena.
La versatilidad del sistema WEA permite la notificación a todo el condado o áreas específicas dentro del condado. El 2 de diciembre, el área de prueba se limitará al área de sirenas y solo a aquellos teléfonos que hayan sido habilitados para recibir alertas de prueba.
El mensaje que acompañará a la WEA dirá: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA DEL SISTEMA INALÁMBRICO DE ALERTA DE EMERGENCIA DEL CONDADO DE MARICOPA. NO SE REQUIERE ACCIÓN ”.
En el improbable caso de una emergencia en Palo Verde que requiera acciones públicas, una de las tres agencias de respuesta (Departamento de Manejo de Emergencias del Condado de Maricopa, Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Maricopa o el Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Arizona) activará las sirenas de alerta para indicar a los residentes que prendan sus radios y televisores. Asimismo, las alertas inalámbricas (activadas por el Departamento de Manejo de Emergencias del Condado de Maricopa) indicarán a los residentes que hagan lo mismo. A continuación, se transmitirá un mensaje del Sistema de Alerta de Emergencia (EAS) por radio y televisión y proporcionará instrucciones e información de emergencia.
Para obtener más información, comuníquese con el Departamento de Manejo de Emergencias del Condado de Maricopa al 602-273-1411 o visite ready.maricopa.gov.
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Notas para los medios de comunicación: El Departamento de Manejo de Emergencias del Condado de Maricopa, en cooperación con el Departamento de Emergencias y Asuntos Militares de Arizona, coordina e implementa planes de respuesta fuera del sitio para la Estación Generadora Palo Verde. La estación generadora Palo Verde es operada por Arizona Public Service (APS) y es propiedad de un consorcio de siete empresas de servicios públicos en el suroeste. Es el mayor productor de energía de cualquier tipo en los Estados Unidos.
- ¿Por qué recibí una WEA del Condado de Maricopa?
- La Administración de Emergencias del Condado de Maricopa llevó a cabo una prueba WEA para corresponder con la prueba anual de sirena de la Estación Generadora de Palo Verde. Para recibir la prueba WEA, los usuarios de teléfonos tenían que habilitar manualmente el teléfono para recibir este tipo de alerta de prueba.
- Estas pruebas ayudan a garantizar que este sistema de notificación funcione si es necesario para un evento real.
- ¿Quién debería recibir la WEA?
- La prueba WEA estaba dirigida a personas que se encuentran físicamente dentro de la zona de planificación de emergencia de 10 millas (radio de 10 millas) alrededor de la estación de generación de Palo Verde en el momento del mensaje de prueba (12:15 PM). Solo los usuarios de teléfonos que tienen un teléfono que se habilitó manualmente para recibir la prueba WEA deberían haber recibido la prueba.
- Los mapas de zonas de planificación de emergencia de 10 millas y 50 millas se pueden encontrar en esta dirección: https://ready.maricopa.gov/1659/Emergency-Planning-Zones
- "Estaba fuera de la zona de planificación de emergencia de 10 millas de la estación de generación de Palo Verde, ¿por qué recibí un WEA?"
- El mensaje WEA se transmite desde torres celulares. Es posible que reciba el mensaje WEA si vive cerca o fuera del límite de 10 millas debido a la ubicación de la torre celular más cercana.
- "Estaba dentro de la zona de planificación de emergencia de 10 millas de la estación de generación de Palo Verde, ¿por qué no recibí un WEA?"
- Si su teléfono celular no tenía servicio en el momento de la WEA, no lo recibirá.
- Si optó por no recibir este tipo de mensaje, su teléfono celular no lo recibirá.
- Si se encuentra fuera del área identificada durante la prueba, su teléfono celular no lo recibirá.
- Si su teléfono celular estaba apagado, en modo avión, no es compatible con WEA o la programación no estaba actualizado, no recibirá el WEA.
- ¿Se está probando WEA debido a un problema en la estación de generación de Palo Verde?
- No, las sirenas de la Estación de Generación de Palo Verde se prueban anualmente, esto nos brindó una buena oportunidad para probar un sistema adicional de notificación de seguridad pública. WEA puede enviarse para emergencias del mundo real que requieren acción pública. WEA también se puede usar para otros peligros, incluyendo clima extremo (inundaciones, incendios forestales, tormentas de polvo, etc.)
- ¿Me pueden ayudar a ajustar la configuración de mi teléfono para desactivar las notificaciones WEA?
- No podemos. Le recomendamos que permita que su teléfono celular reciba WEA y otros mensajes de emergencia. Si hay un incidente que pone en peligro la vida que requiere evacuaciones masivas o refugio en el lugar, este tipo de mensajes probablemente será un método primario de notificación al público en general. Póngase en contacto con su proveedor de telefono celular si necesita ayuda para ajustar la configuración de su teléfono celular.
- Más información de FEMA (En inglés)