Transcript
Will Broad: Notifications! you get them everyday. Today FEMA sent out a national alert to test their national emergency communication system, in the event something was to ever happen. While the alert is important, it wouldn’t have been possible without working cell towers. Local cell tower freelancer Bailey Gorman explained just how important it really is.
Bailey Gorman: “All of these towers are up to code and everything is running smoothly is imperative to making sure that in the state of an emergency an alert would be able to get out”
Will Broad: Most places in central New York were well within range, and at 2:20, this was the alert and reaction from Bob Houck in Syracuse
Bob Houck: “It’s all about the intentions of the government and who is putting them out,I also think they could be used for uhh bad purposes, and I think it could be abused”
Will Broad: An alert friendzie, Will Broad, N-C-C News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The National Government ran a standardized practice nationwide alert Wednesday, October 4th. The alert, sent by the Federal Emergency Management Association was a test to identify if it would be effective in the case of an actual emergency. Everywhere at 2:20 PM a loud alarm sounded for approximately one minute. Although previous speculation of the sound being different, it was similar to past tests and the same as an AMBER alert.
Phones weren’t the only device that received this alert, in fact most everything did. Televisions, radios, tablets, etc. And while 2:20 PM isn’t exactly the greatest time, as kids are in school, and adults are in the middle of their workday, the brief alert didn’t seem to distract many. Here in Syracuse, many people acknowledged the alert and quickly put their device away and continued on with their day. Most likely, without a clue of how they got the notification.
While the alert may have alarmed some people, FEMA has stated it has no way of tracking or locating anybody based on the alert.
FEMA’s alert system is only as effective as the industrial area that surrounds people. In places that don’t have up to date Cell Towers, there was a chance the alert didn’t reach that area. An issue FEMA has been working to continue to fix as time moves on. This is the first time since 2021 that a national alert was sent, with advanced statistics these alerts should be able to provide better feedback for potential real emergency alerts. However, the information is limited, as FEMA’s struggles with proper Cell Tower’s is unknown, and was unable to be tested during this alert.
Regardless the information given should be enough for FEMA to be able to make adjustments, and continue to improve the effectiveness of National Alerts, and continue to keep the nation, and communities safe.