FEMA conducted a nationwide test of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) System Wednesday, October 3rd. The test ran at 11:18 am in conjunction with a nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS) test at 11:20 am.
During the test, the WEA message was broadcasted from cell towers for approximately 30 minutes. While the message broadcast for 30 minutes, cell phones should have only received the alert once. The text of the test read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed”. It is likely that most smart phones throughout the county received the test alert. A distinctive WEA message dialog box appeared on the mobile device’s screen and the test use the same special, loud tone and vibration that all WEA messages use.
Please consider filling out the following survey so we can better understand how the WEA system worked in Contra Costa County: https://goo.gl/forms/qZUsggURWpIGJjVJ2
To view this message in American Sign Language or hear an audio version of this message, click the link below.
https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/170684#embed-code