FEMA To Test 'Presidential Alert' System Next Week

[Generic Other]

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) next week will test the Emergency Alert System, which allows the President to address Americans via text message in the event of a national emergency.


The test alert, which will be sent at 2:18 p.m. ET on Sept. 20, will note that it’s a test of the system. At that time, all cell phone within the range of a cell tower will receive the message.

Basically, this is a reminder that in the event of a national emergency, President Trump will be able to reach all of us via text message.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/test-president-alert-system

IS THIS FOR REAL???

[Sherman A1]

1. Well,

There is one to delete and potentially block.

[Generic Other]

2. Ooops

I thought you meant me. But yes. I was with a whole group of people in an office when the first amber alert came over our phones. It caused a slight ripple of panic. This may just cause revulsion. Definitely zap it with my spam blocker.

[Sherman A1]

9. I certainly did not mean you.

appreciate the update on this, I will most certainly delete the message and likely block the source if that is possible.

[ProudLib72]

3. Doesn't he already have this capability (unfortunately)?

Of course he abuses Twitter, so maybe he's like the boy who cried wolf and no one pays attention anymore.

[Generic Other]

4. If when he finally loses his mind completely

I could envision him using this emergency presidential alert system to rant at us all in one blaze of crazytown. Just to scare us. Hope it doesn't cause garage door openers to fail.

[Oak2004]

11. He'd need the cooperation of a lot of people to get the emergency alert system up and running

and I am guessing that would be one more order that would get slow-walked.

[lindysalsagal]

14. "Hello? Enrique? Hello? Uh, you wanna put that through this phone?"

[Canoe52]

5. I've got so many responses to that, I don't know where to start.

But I’ll start with this -

[Generic Other]

7. I feel like I should let my battery die

224 million doing what you are doing equals a lot of people who will need to take a sick day!

[Grammy23]

6. Oh, geeze. I feel so much better.

[Generic Other]

8. Do you have an area to take shelter?

preferably where the cell service is non-existent?

[Sherman A1]

10. I have problems with cell service in the chip aisle at a local grocery store

I believe that it has to do with the number of compressors on the roof blocking signal, but I may have to hide out in the "Frito-Lay Dead Zone."

[moriah]

12. Apparently it is real. And you *can't* opt out.

https://www.fema.gov/emergency-alert-test

12. Why can I not opt out of the Presidential Alert category on my cell phone?

The Communications Act of 1934 established the authority for the President to use certain private sector communications systems for priority communications, such as sending alert and warning messages to the public, during national emergencies. The implementation of this legislation is what enables the Emergency Alert System to be used by government authorities at all levels of government to send alert and warnings via private sector radio, television and cable stations in coordination with the private sector station owners. In 2006, The Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act of 2006 prompted the Federal Communications Commission to adopt regulations enabling the wireless industry to participate in the distribution of public alerts and warnings also. The WARN Act further established that the wireless alerting service should allow wireless subscribers the capability of opting out of receiving alerts, other than an alert issued by the President.

Bolding mine.

WHY are they doing this when people will be sleeping?

[Ms. Toad]

13. 2:18 PM ET, not 2:18 AM

The majority of people are awake at that time.

(I misread it the first time - having just had 3 worthless amber alerts in a one hour period before (and a fourth about 2 hours later) within the past week . . . Blocked those puppie. I don't mind getting a single Amber alert - but three, while I'm sleeping, that say, "we have no information, check your local media," was the breaking point.)

[moriah]

16. I misread at first apparently too. Sorry. Nt

[Generic Other]

15. Is Trump gonna turn all our phones off?

What could possibly go wrong?

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. Given his definition of "national security" which he claims allows him to put tariffs

on any imported product he feels like, I expect to him, a "national emergency" will be a drop in his Rasmussen approval numbers. Or CNN not reminding people that he had "the best win" in the electoral college.

Good luck, USA, you're gonna need it.