LF: FEMA: Trump administration will send Â‘presidential alertsÂ’ to cellphones across America

Title: FEMA: Trump administration will send Â‘presidential alertsÂ’ to cellphones across America
Source: USA TODAY
URL Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news ... ma-test-new-alerts/1317788002/
Published: Sep 20, 2018
Author: Fredreka Schouten
Post Date: 2018-09-21 00:39:54 by Hondo68
Keywords: No opt out for presidential, messages, FEMA warns
Views: 213

On Thursday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will conduct a test of the national system that allows "presidential alerts" to hit the majority of cellphones. The goal is to warn residents of national emergencies, such as dangerous weather.

The warning system "provides the president with the communications capability to address the nation during a national emergency," FEMA said on its website.

Some cellphone users will receive a message with a header that reads "Presidential Alert." The text then will say: "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed."

Info on the emergency alert test:
🔹It’s a nationwide test of the same system that pushes public emergency messages like AMBER alerts
🔹Presidential Alerts are only for national emergencies
🔹FEMA & @FCC are testing to ensure it will work when needed
FAQ: https://t.co/Op8T9AEpiF pic.twitter.com/FBC1AF7oHY— FEMA (@fema) September 15, 2018

"I don't want this," actress Alyssa Milano tweeted Saturday. "How do we opt out, @fema?"

I don’t want this. How do we opt out, @fema? I know trump isn’t big on consent but I don’t consent to this. https://t.co/A04twRU39p— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) September 15, 2018

Under federal law, users can opt out of the alerts for "imminent threats" and Amber Alerts about abducted children but "not for presidential messages," FEMA warns.

Thursday will mark the first national test of the "wireless emergency alerts." Congress authorized the public safety alert system in 2008. It began operating in 2012 and has been used regionally.

The agency, already grappling with the effects of Tropical Storm Florence, could delay the test of the alert system to Oct. 3 if there's a major weather disruption, but FEMA said Saturday that Thursday's test was still on.

You're going to have to wait until Oct 3, for the Presidential Alert. It's been postponed. I feel your pain.

Due to severe weather across much of the East Coast and ongoing response efforts, the national emergency alert test has been postponed to the backup date of Oct. 3, 2018 at 2:18 PM EDT.