FEMA - Emergency Broadcast System Test - October 4th

[Imzadi]

You just have to turn your phone off if you don’t want the message. Nothing more complicated than off.

Yes, they shouldn't be hiding a phone and leaving it on to drain the battery. Their phone is for the extreme emergency for when they need to get out or call the police. Having a dead phone is pointless.

 

[Imzadi]

Years ago I turned it off. The amber alerts were ridiculous, mine along with the 20 other people's phones standing near by me going off all at once on the bus, subway, or elevator. If govt wants to send out an alert, the 20 other people beside me will scramble for cover and I will follow.

I turned almost all of mine off too. I don't need to be alerted about a flood or storm 30 miles away. Since I don't drive here, amber alerts are a waste. If there is a major emergency, everyone around me will let me know to run.

 

[lanejudy]

Since I don't drive here, amber alerts are a waste.

I don't get the connection. Amber alerts are when a child is missing. Yes, it can be a broad area. But the point is to be on the look-out for said child and/or abductor. They may have driven into your area.

 

[anniemae]

It blows my mind that there are people worried about this, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering some of the insane conspiracy theories some of the same people believe.

A similar national alert test went off on everyone's phones when I was in Germany a few weeks ago.

I can't believe it either. If something nefarious was going to happen why on earth would they tell us? I am shocked at what some people believe.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I can't believe it either. If something nefarious was going to happen why on earth would they tell us? I am shocked at what some people believe.

After the last few years, I am definitely not shocked anymore by the things some people believe.

 

[Imzadi]

I don't get the connection. Amber alerts are when a child is missing. Yes, it can be a broad area. But the point is to be on the look-out for said child and/or abductor. They may have driven into your area.

Most of the amber alerts I've seen in this area mention that the child was last seen in a car, say, for example a chartreuse Honda Accord, NJ Lic: ###-XXXX. (There are a few instances where an autistic child has wandered off, but they are luckily rarer. )

I don't spend the majority of my time in the streets to scan different cars & licenses. I'm walking along the sidewalks of NYC or are down in the subways, trying to dodge pick-pockets, muggers and robbers. (A friend and I, last weekend, walked a wallet in to the nearby police precinct. It was just left on top of a pile of garbage, wide open with the owner's ID in plain sight. It even had an un-expired Visa card. The pickpocket apparently just took the money and dropped the wallet. We hope the owner was able to get back to NJ okay without his wallet. ) There is also an increasing number of violent mentally-ill homeless people wandering around here to keep a general eye on.

I assume, (maybe inaccurately,) that some of the 20 people standing on the one street corner with me (x4 corners) are keeping an active eye out for amber alerts.

I don't have kids or are around kids a lot. I have an easier time telling the difference between a labrador and a golden retriever than being able to identify one child. Now, if it was an adult with a child acting weirdly, pulling a kid who clearly didn't want to go, verbally or physically threatening or hurting a kid who looked scared for their life, that would draw my attention & ring alarm bells. I'd immediately have my phone out, surreptitiously videoing them and then calling the police.

 

[tvguy]

alerts are a waste. If there is a major emergency, everyone around me will let me know to run.

That is what cost a lot of people in the California wildfires their lives. The word did NOT get out.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I agree this is the only real concern.

I can see minor issues with the amount of noise in some places, or people who work night shift getting woken up (can't shut off their phones if they use them as an alarm clock) but safety phones is the biggest concern I've heard too.

 

[tvguy]

i can see minor issues with the amount of noise in some places, or people who work night shift getting woken up (can't shut off their phones if they use them as an alarm clock) but that's the biggest concern I've heard too.

I worked graveyard shift for 25 years. Day sleepers have much more frequent sleep interruptions from normal life noises.......gardeners, kids playing, the garbage truck, etc, so I don't see one test of the alert system being an issue. I even slept through them putting a new roof on my house! But I never used my phone as an alarm clock, always used a real alarm clock.

 

[sam_gordon]

I worked graveyard shift for 25 years. Day sleepers have much more frequent sleep interruptions from normal life noises.......gardeners, kids playing, the garbage truck, etc, so I don't see one test of the alert system being an issue. I even slept through them putting a new roof on my house! But I never used my phone as an alarm clock, always used a real alarm clock.

Of course, cell phones weren't an option as an alarm clock for most of those years.

 

[_19disnA]

There are ways on my phone to turn off various alerts. For example, I see a lot of those amber alerts scroll across the TV screen, but don't get them on my phone. Those who are so wrapped up in conspiracy theory nonsense should probably turn them phones off on 10/4...............LOL.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

This is wild. I'm watching a TikTok live broadcast of a news station in Wheeling WV and they are REPEATEDLY coming back to this alarm. It seems there are people who are genuinely freaked out about it. Why? Is it the Rapture?

 

[tvguy]

Of course, cell phones weren't an option as an alarm clock for most of those years.

Correct. And one of the biggest frustrations later in my career were co-workers who used the cell phones as both their phone, and their alarm. When the battery died, or the phone was left in another room they not only overslept, but I couldn't reach them on the phone to wake them up. Worst case was someone who overslept by SIX HOURS. We bought her an alarm clock, and covered for her for months, but the boss finally fired her.

 

[tvguy]

This is wild. I'm watching a TikTok live broadcast of a news station in Wheeling WV and they are REPEATEDLY coming back to this alarm. It seems there are people who are genuinely freaked out about it. Why? Is it the Rapture?

It will be the Rapture for those who don't follow the news. They will be the one's flooding 9-1-1 centers tomorrow when this test happens.
As someone who worked over 40 years in the news business, it is mind boggling to me that number of people today who choose to be uninformed about anything.

 

[Imzadi]

There is an active shooter right now in Baltimore at Morgan State University. 4 people shot so far, luckily with non-threatening injuries. People are told to shelter in place.

This made me think, I hope some deranged shooter doesn't take the opportunity on Oct 4 at 2:20pm ET to start shooting in some public place, knowing there will be a media blackout, or that the 911 call system will be flooded with people responding to the test, and maybe can't get a REAL call through. And when people hear the gun shots nearby they just think it's part of the test, instead of running for their lives.

 

[TinkAgainU]

What if I turn off all the govt alerts on my iphone, will this still come through?

These are supposed to be able to even override "blocking"? You'll find out tomorrow.

 

[PollyannaMom]

That's a good point, @Imzadi

 

[PollyannaMom]

I think this is one of those "can't make everyone happy" situations. We're all here dissecting the potential problems, but I expect this is partly in response to alert systems not working correctly in Hawaii recently. They're trying to fix one problem, which often creates others.

(And yes, I know there have always been "this is a test..." messages, but this one just seems to be a bigger deal.)

 

[sam_gordon]

There is an active shooter right now in Baltimore at Morgan State University. 4 people shot so far, luckily with non-threatening injuries. People are told to shelter in place.

This made me think, I hope some deranged shooter doesn't take the opportunity on Oct 4 at 2:20pm ET to start shooting in some public place, knowing there will be a media blackout, or that the 911 call system will be flooded with people responding to the test, and maybe can't get a REAL call through. And when people hear the gun shots nearby they just think it's part of the test, instead of running for their lives.

I'm sorry, I think thats a stretch. First, there isn't a media "blackout". Someone would have to gamble about 911 call system being flooded with callers. Maybe it will be in Podunktown, but wherever the "shooter" will be? Doubtful.

Again, this is NOT new. They've done it in past years, and yes, using cell phones.

 

[sam_gordon]

I think this is one of those "can't make everyone happy" situations. We're all here dissecting the potential problems, but I expect this is partly in response to alert systems not working correctly in Hawaii recently. They're trying to fix one problem, which often creates others.

(And yes, I know there have always been "this is a test..." messages, but this one just seems to be a bigger deal.)

Its because the conspiracy theorists are out in force on this one for some reason. The national test has happened multiple times over the last 10-15 years.