Multnomah County’s Office of Emergency Management is planning a test of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system to all mobile phone devices capable of receiving such an alert. Visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency's page on WEAs for more information on how this system works or Public Alerts for additional details on alerting systems in the region.
What is a Wireless Emergency Alert or WEA?
WEA is a national public safety system that allows people who use cell phones and other mobile devices to receive text messages about threats to safety in their area.
When is the test occurring?
Multnomah County is conducting a county-wide test of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system test on Thursday, August 14, 2025, between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.
What do I do when I get the test alert?
First, congratulations! You do not need to do anything. Please DO NOT call 911, 211, or 311.
However, we would like to hear from you about your experience. When you receive the WEA test message, it will include a link to a survey to share your experiences on the test message. (Click on the globe at the top for Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Laotian, Japanese, Romanian, Russian, Somali, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.) The survey closes on Friday, August 15, 2025.
What is the test message that will appear on my cell phone or mobile device?
For most smart phones, the message will read, “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 [survey link] to complete a survey regarding this TEST. END OF TEST.”
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.”
How will I know the difference between WEA and a regular text message?
WEA includes a special tone (some describe it as quite loud) and a vibration, both repeated twice. A text message also appears on the mobile device.
Do I need to sign up for WEA alerts?
No, if your WEA-enabled cell phone or mobile device is in the target location, an alert will be received. You do not sign up to receive a WEA alert.
Will I be charged for receiving WEA messages?
No. This service is free.
Does WEA know where I am? Is it tracking me?
No. A WEA message is sent from cell towers in an area to cell phones nearby. Every phone that can get WEA messages and is close enough will get the message, similar to emergency weather alerts you see on TV. WEA, like a TV station, doesn't know who is watching.
Will I receive WEAs on a prepaid phone?
The FCC says people with prepaid phones can get WEAs if their phone company is part of the WEA program and they have a WEA-ready phone. They get the alerts just like people who pay for their phone service every month.
How will I receive alerts if I don't have a WEA-capable device?
WEA is one way emergency workers will tell you about an emergency. We can also use NOAA Weather Radio, the Emergency Alert System on TV and radio, and our Public Alerts system, which you can choose to sign up for.
I received the alert later than others or not at all. Why?
There are many reasons a person may not receive the WEA test:
- Your phone may not be capable of receiving WEAs. Please check with your wireless carrier to see if your phone is able to receive WEA messages.
- If you are in the middle of a call when the message is sent, you may not receive it.
- If you have apps running, you may not hear the tone.
- Not all cell phone companies send out emergency alerts. Some might send them in certain areas or to certain phones, while others don't send them at all. Even if your phone can get these alerts, you won't receive them if your cell phone company doesn't offer the service in your area, or if you're using another company's network that doesn't support the alerts. You should ask your cell phone company if they send out Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and where.
- Sometimes people turn off the emergency alerts on their cell phones. Here's how to check if yours are on or off, depending on what kind of phone you have:
For iPhones:
- Open the "Settings" app.
- Tap on "Notification Center" and scroll to the very bottom.
- Look for "Government Alerts." You'll see options like "AMBER Alerts" or "Government Alerts." Make sure these are turned "on."
For Android phones:
- Go to "Settings."
- Tap on "More" under "Wireless & Networks."
- Scroll down to "Cell Broadcasts settings."
- Once you open this, you can see if options like "disable extreme threats," "severe threats," and "Amber Alerts" are selected. You want these to be off (meaning the alerts are on).
Keep in mind that how you find these settings might be a little different on your phone.
I’m an international visitor to the area. Will my phone receive a WEA?
Most major cell phones, like Apple, Samsung, and LG, get WEA alerts no matter where you bought them. If you're using a participating US wireless carrier while you are in the US, you should be able to receive WEAs, even if your phone was purchased outside the US.
Why was the WEA alert only sent in English and Spanish?
For now, the national alert system only supports messages in English and Spanish, but eventually it will be able to support 13 different languages.
Our local opt-in system–Public Alerts–has commonly used alert messages translated into 10 different languages: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Laotian, Romanian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
What if a real-world event happens on the test day?
If widespread severe weather, wildfire, or other significant event happens on August 14, the back-up date for the test is Thursday, August 21, 2025, between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.
What’s so special about this test?
Multnomah County’s Office of Emergency Management is conducting the County’s first live exercise of the Wireless Emergency Alert system of this size—over 800,000 residents and visitors will be in the test area.
Why do you need to test the system?
We sometimes test our public alert and warning systems to make sure they work well. This helps us find ways to make them better. It's important for public safety workers to know they have good ways to tell people about dangers during an emergency. Testing the WEA system helps us keep using it, learn how to use it better, and make it even better.
What types of alerts are sent through WEA?
There are three types of messages sent through WEA: extreme weather and other threatening emergencies in an area, child abduction (AMBER), and Presidential alerts during a national emergency.
How does WEA work?
Authorized government groups, like those at the national, state, or local level, can send important safety messages using WEA. These messages are for emergencies like telling people to leave an area or find shelter because of things like wildfires, a threat from terrorists, or a chemical leak. These alerts come from trusted public safety workers and are sent through a system called IPAWS, which is run by FEMA. Wireless companies then send these alerts to cell phones and other mobile devices that can get them in the area where the emergency is happening.
Who receives a WEA alert?
We create a map around the exact spot we are trying to reach, which for this test is all of Multnomah County. Everyone with a WEA-enabled phone in that area will get the alert, even if they're just visiting or passing through. So, if someone from Seattle or Boston is visiting Multnomah County and has their phone on, they'll get the alert too.
We are completely sure that cell phones or other mobile devices outside, but close to, Multnomah County will get the WEA alert. This is because the technology uses cell towers. In areas that are more rural, the alert might reach up to five miles outside the county. In busy city areas, it will reach less, maybe up to one mile.
Officials take sending out a WEA very seriously. So, if you get a WEA, do what it says to protect yourself and immediately check local news for more information. During a real emergency, officials promise to give important information that can save lives, and we want to reach everyone. We want to make sure the public is safe, which means we will share as much information as we can in as many ways as we can.
How exact is WEA about where the disaster is?
Wireless companies must send alerts to a specific area affected by an emergency, even if it's smaller than a whole county. They need to get even better at targeting these alerts. So, it's important that you tell us when and where you got this WEA message. This helps us give feedback to the wireless companies.
How are WEAs different from Public Alerts?
WEAs are part of a national system called the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. You don't need to sign up for WEA messages. If your cell phone can get WEA messages, it will automatically receive an alert with a loud tone and vibration if you are in or passing through the specific area where the message was sent. In the Portland-Vancouver area, we only use WEAs for very serious emergencies or crises where it's important to reach everyone in the danger area, even if they are just passing through.
Public Alerts is a system that sends alerts to people in the Portland-Vancouver area who have registered their contact information. Outside of that area, it's called OR-Alerts. You can sign up with your cell phone, home phone, and email. You can register up to 5 different addresses in each county. You get to choose what kinds of alerts you want, what language you want them in, and how you want to get them (by phone call, text, or email). These messages don't have any special sounds or vibrations.
These messages are sent to the specific addresses you sign up for (you can sign up for up to 5 with Public Alerts). So, no matter where you are, if an alert is sent to an address you registered, you will get it. You can find out more about Public Alerts (alerts you choose to receive) here.
How can I find out more information about WEA or Public Alerts?
Visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency's page on WEAs for more information on how this system works or Public Alerts for additional details on alerting systems in the region.
Who can I contact to find out more information about the WEA test?
You can email Multnomah County Emergency Management at emergency.management@multco.us