Alert SouthBay Plans Regional Emergency Alert Test for May 7

Alert SouthBay, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), will conduct a test of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) capability for the South Bay region on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at approximately 11:30 a.m. PST. 

The regional test will consist of testing WEA and registered subscribers in the Alert SouthBay regional program. Both are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at approximately 11:30 a.m. PST. 

The WEA portion of the test will be directed to consumer cellphones. The May 7 test of the Alert SouthBay Regional System will be its second assessment of system performance, following the initial test conducted on Tuesday, January 9, 2024.  

These tests are designed to maintain the effectiveness of the systems in alerting the public about emergencies. The forthcoming test is additionally intended to clarify the reasons for the failures observed in the previous test. Issues were identified in disseminating alerts to all cellular devices, hyperlinking, and service provider coverage. The May 7 test seeks to identify solutions to these issues, as they are crucial to the efficacy of the systems. 

The WEA portion of the test will be initiated using FEMA’s IPAWS, a centralized internet-based system administered by FEMA that enables authorities to send authenticated emergency messages to the public through multiple communications networks. The WEA test will be issued via a code sent to cellphones.

All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the regionwide WEA test: 

• At approximately 11:30 a.m. PST, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and in a geographic area where the wireless provider participates in WEA should be capable of receiving the test message.  
• For consumers, the message on their phones will read: "THIS IS A TEST of the Alert SouthBay Regional Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed. For information about this alert, please visit www.alertsouthbay.com” 
• Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Regional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.” 
• Similar to when your phone receives an Amber Alert, the WEA alert tone is generally only played when the alert is initially received by the phone and, on some devices, stops as soon as the user clicks a button. 
• If a phone is off before the test alert is sent and not turned back on until after the WEA Test expires (approximately 30 minutes), the phone should not get the test message.

WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, a unique tone and vibration accompany the alerts.

For information about registering for emergency alerts or frequently asked questions, please visit alertsouthbay.com.