Test Wireless Emergency Alert by Yavapai County Office of Emergency Management
The Yavapai County Office of Emergency Management (YCOEM) will be conducting a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) Test in the Prescott Valley area on Thursday, August 29th, 2024, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. This test is part of a multi-jurisdictional exercise aimed at testing the Genasys Protect Evacuation platform for emergency notifications through the Integrated Public Alert and Warning Systems (IPAWS).
YCOEM recently gained the approval to send messages through IPAWS, allowing them to assist jurisdictions in need of emergency notification support.
A Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) is a vital tool used to broadcast emergency alerts directly to the public via mobile devices. These alerts are designed to inform residents about imminent threats to safety or missing persons (AMBER alerts), and other critical situations. They are short emergency messages that provide essential information to keep communities safe and informed.
The test WEA will be sent to a specific evacuation zone within Prescott Valley, directly related to the training site. This message will only be received by those who are in or near the designated geographical area and have enabled their mobile devices to receive a WEA. It is important to note that unless these settings are turned on, your phone will not receive this test WEA.
“We want to emphasize that this is only a test, and there is no cause for alarm. This training exercise is essential for us to refine our processes, particularly in utilizing evacuation zones within the Genasys system. It also allows us to collaborate with our partners to determine when it is most appropriate and necessary to use IPAWS versus opt-in systems during significant emergencies,” said Ashley Ahlquist, Emergency Manager at YCOEM.
For those who have not yet enabled the turned-on settings to receive the Test Wireless Emergency Alerts, it is recommended to adjust your mobile device settings to make sure you receive them. For more information on how to turn on this setting and details about WEAs, please visit www.YavapaiReady.gov/IPAWS.
