In preparation for an actual emergency, Multnomah County will issue a rare, but important, test of its Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system on Thursday, Aug. 14, at 2 p.m.
Multnomah County Emergency Management will send an alert to the cell phones of up to 1 million residents and visitors. Recipients of the alert will hear a high-pitched tone, their phone will vibrate twice, accompanied by a text message in English and Spanish.
No action is required of people who receive this alert. Please do not call 911, 211 or 311. The test is only to help emergency planners confirm the system will work during an actual emergency and to identify what can be improved. Everyone will receive a link to a survey if they care to weigh in further.
Here is what the notification will say:
"TEST - Multnomah County is testing its Wireless Emergency Alert system. This message confirms that your phone can receive emergency alerts. In an actual emergency, this system would be used to share potentially life-saving information. NO ACTION is required. Visit https://arcg.is/0mDLjG to complete a survey regarding this TEST. END OF TEST"
"PRUEBA del sistema de alertas de emergencia por celular del Condado de Multnomah. Este mensaje confirma que su celular puede recibir alertas. En emergencias verdaderas recibira datos vitales por este sistema. MEDIDAS NO requeridas. Participe en una encuesta sobre esta PRUEBA en https://arcg.is/0mDLjG. FIN DE LA PRUEBA"
Certain phones with only 3G or limited network access will receive a shorter message that reads, “TEST - Multnomah County is testing its Wireless Emergency Alerts. NO ACTION is required.”
Why is the County sending a test alert?
The scheduled test comes after flash floods in Texas, as well as fires in California and Hawaii, highlighted the need for rapid, widespread notifications to save lives.
“The best time to find out if this alert system works is before an actual emergency,” said Emergency Management Director Chris Voss. “We need to know if it works as intended and for that, we need your help.”
Cell phone alerts are part of the nationwide Federal Emergency Management Administration’s (FEMA) integrated public alert and warning system, designed to quickly notify people of threats to their safety. Messages commonly sent through the system include warnings about emergency weather and child abductions (AMBER alerts). The system can also be used to issue Presidential alerts in the event of a national emergency.
During the Multnomah County test, some people in Clackamas, Columbia, Hood River and Washington counties in Oregon, and in Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania counties in Washington, may also receive the alert because of potential "overspray’’ due to cell phone tower locations. The County has already notified local cities, emergency responders, school districts, universities, and regional, state and federal agencies. The County is asking those partners to be aware of the upcoming test and to help prepare their clients.
Will everyone get the alert?
People whose cell phones are off, on “airplane mode” or connected to a Virtual Private Network will not receive an alert. Others may not because they have opted out of receiving alerts. FEMA offers these directions for checking to see if your phone is enabled to receive an alert.
Because any child with a cell phone will also receive an alert, the test is also an opportunity to talk to kids about what to do in an emergency. A printable fact sheet for children about WEAs, as well as more information on Wireless Emergency Alerts, can be found at Ready.gov.
Watch this YouTube video for an approximation of the sound.
How is the County sharing this information?
The County has notified officials from the cities of Portland, Gresham, Fairview, Maywood Park and Wood Village, as well as law enforcement agencies, fire departments, information lines, regional governments, school districts, colleges and universities, hospitals, community-based organizations, state and federal agencies with offices in Multnomah County, and regional Emergency Management partners in Columbia, Washington, Clackamas and Hood River counties. County officials are asking everyone to share that the test is coming and that no action is needed on the part of the public.
Emergency Management has also posted a Wireless Alert Frequently Asked Questions page with more information.
What if a real emergency is happening?
In the event of an actual emergency on Aug. 14, such as a wildfire, Multnomah County will reschedule the test.
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