Understanding Emergency Alerts on Your Phone
Ever wondered how your phone knows to buzz with an emergency alert, even if you’re just passing through the area? Emergency alerts go out to every phone in the area — no need to sign up, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. If you’re close enough to get the signal, you’ll get the warning.
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(AP Photo/Lisa Rathke)(Lisa Rathke / AP)
One of our readers, Carol Moss, asked Curious Texas: Given the recent flood events, I wonder how a U.S. traveler can stay safe in the event of emergencies as we travel the U.S. How do alerts put out by officials via cell phone know who is in the area? Does technology sense every cell phone, or only residents? Is there a national registry to be included in all alerts in the area? What about overseas? Is there any system other than the State Department’s safe system?
Here is everything you need to know about domestic and international alerts.
How do alerts issued by officials via cell phone identify who is in the area?
Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEAs, are designed to quickly inform people in specific geographical areas about emergencies, according to FEMA. When authorities issue a WEA, it is broadcast through cell towers that serve the targeted area. Any compatible cell phone receiving a signal from those towers will receive the alert via a one-way broadcast, the organization said.
(Handout/Jim Rossman/TNS)(Handout / TNS)
This system does not track individual phones or users; it simply sends the message to all WEA-capable devices within range of the cell tower.
In newer phones, advanced geo-targeting features use the device’s location services, such as GPS or Wi-Fi, to filter alerts and ensure that only those physically within the defined area will receive the message.
However, older devices may still receive alerts even if they are outside the intended area, simply because they are within the broadcast range of the cell tower.
This can sometimes result in over-warning, where people outside the immediate alert zone receive the notification.
WEAs can include National Alerts, AMBER Alerts for missing children and Imminent Threat Alerts, such as tornado warnings, according to the National Weather Service.
Wireless carriers participate in the WEA program voluntarily and must adhere to technical and operational standards established by the Federal Communications Commission.
When a WEA is sent, it appears on the phone’s home screen or as a message similar to a text message, accompanied by a unique ringtone and vibration to get the user’s attention.
Does technology sense every cell phone or only residents?
WEA messages are broadcast to all compatible cell phones within the target area, regardless of whether the user is a resident or a visitor.
The technology does not identify who owns the phone or whether the user lives in the area, according to the weather service.
The system does not track your location or collect any personal information.
Is there a national registry to be included in all alerts in an area?
No, there is no national registry for WEAs, according to FEMA.
It is not necessary to sign up or provide any personal information to receive these alerts.
WEA is not a subscription-based system; instead, it uses cell broadcast technology to automatically send critical alerts to all compatible phones within a specific area.
This ensures that everyone in the affected zone, whether resident or visitor, receives the alert during emergencies.
However, some local and state agencies may offer optional alert systems that you can register for to receive specific notifications.
What about overseas? Is there any system other than the State Department’s safe system?
While FEMA’s primary mission is to issue domestic emergency alerts, other countries have developed their own emergency alert systems.
