Presidential Alert

October 4, 2018

   On October 3rd at 1:18 PM, the Federal Emergency Management Agency sent out its first “presidential alert”. The message said, “THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The alert test, which is FEMA’s first for the wireless emergency system made a sound that is similar to an amber alert or a flood warning.

   “I think that it is a great idea, as long as it is being used for the purposes that it is being created for,” government teacher Mr. Luellen said.

   Around 225 million cell phones across the country received the same alert at the same time. Unlike other alerts, the presidential alert is designed to let the White House inform the entire country almost instantly of public emergencies, such as terrorist attacks or invasions. Amber alerts and weather alerts are only able to be sent on a regional or statewide basis, and residents have the option to opt out of receiving them. The Presidential alert, on the other hand, does not have an option to not receive the messages.

   “The government doesn’t want anyone to think they were possibly discriminated against or they want to make sure everybody gets it whether it is read or not,” Luellen said.

   Despite the name, the Presidential alert is not sent by the president themselves, it is sent through FEMA with the president or his representatives request through the White House’s behalf.

   “They probably called it [the presidential alert] just to give it more attention,” Luellen said.

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