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How you'll find out

Communication

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Ready.gov explains that Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEAs, are short alerts authorities can send to any WEA-enabled phone in a specific local area. They look like text messages, but they come with a unique sound and vibration, repeated twice. They're not affected by network congestion, they're free, and there's no need to subscribe. According to the FCC, officials can send them to you on a compatible phone if your wireless carrier takes part in the program. In the United States, Ready.gov says the Emergency Alert System goes out over TV and radio, and that it's also used when all other means of alerting the public are unavailable. And it says NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts official warnings 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and also carries, through the Emergency Alert System, alerts for emergencies that aren't about the weather.

The alert on your phone

Ready.gov explains that Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEAs, are short alerts authorities can send to any WEA-enabled phone in a specific local area. They look like text messages, but they come with a unique sound and vibration, repeated twice. They're not affected by network congestion, they're free, and there's no need to subscribe. According to the FCC, officials can send them to you on a compatible phone if your wireless carrier takes part in the program. The FCC says that to get a WEA, your phone has to be WEA-capable, switched on, out of airplane mode and getting service from a cell tower of a carrier that takes part. And Ready.gov says that if you're not getting them, check your phone's settings: some models require you to enable WEAs, and some providers call them "Government Alerts" or "Emergency Alert Messages."

To start today

To start today: if you're not getting alerts, officials in both the United States and Mexico recommend checking your phone's settings to make sure alerts are turned on. And Ready.gov notes that older phones may not be compatible.

Something to think aboutIf the power and the cell signal went out tomorrow, how would you hear about an alert?

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What is claimed and why

Every sentence in the video comes from these claims, checked against their sources.

  1. Ready.gov says Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are short emergency alerts authorities can send to any WEA-enabled mobile device in a locally targeted area; they look like text messages but are designed to get your attention with a unique sound and vibration repeated twice; they are not affected by network congestion; you are not charged for receiving them and there is no need to subscribe. The FCC says the alerts are free, consumers do not need to sign up, and officials can send them to all subscribers with WEA-capable devices if their wireless carrier participates in the program. official guidanceUnited States
    Ready.gov (FEMA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security), Emergency Alerts — Wireless Emergency Alerts ¶1; Wireless Emergency Alerts ¶2; Wireless Emergency Alerts ¶3; Wireless Emergency Alerts ¶4
    Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are short emergency alerts authorities can send to any WEA-enabled mobile device in a locally targeted area.
    WEAs look like text messages but are designed to get your attention with a unique sound and vibration repeated twice.
    WEAs are not affected by network congestion
    You are not charged for receiving WEAs, and there is no need to subscribe.
    FCC (U.S. Federal Communications Commission), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) — How much do consumers pay; Do consumers have to sign up
    Alerts are free. Customers do not pay to receive WEA.
    Consumers do not need to sign up for this service. WEA allows government officials to send emergency alerts to all subscribers with WEA-capable devices if their wireless carrier participates in the program.
  2. The FCC says that to receive a WEA message, your handset must be WEA-capable, switched on, not on airplane mode, and in the vicinity of and receiving service from a cell tower of a wireless carrier that participates in WEA. Ready.gov says that if you are not receiving WEAs, check the settings on your mobile device and review your user manual; older phones may not be WEA capable, and some cell phone models require you to enable WEAs; some mobile service providers call these messages "Government Alerts" or "Emergency Alert Messages"; and check with your wireless provider. official guidanceUnited States
    FCC (U.S. Federal Communications Commission), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) — Why didn't I receive a WEA
    To receive a WEA message, your handset must be WEA-capable, switched on, not on "airplane mode," and in the vicinity of and receiving service from a cell tower of a wireless carrier that participates in WEA.
    Ready.gov (FEMA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security), Emergency Alerts — Troubleshoot ¶1; Troubleshoot ¶2; Troubleshoot ¶3; Troubleshoot ¶4; Troubleshoot ¶5
    If you are not receiving WEAs here are some tips to troubleshoot your mobile device:
    Check the settings on your mobile device and review your user manual
    Older phones may not be WEA capable, and some cell phone models require you to enable WEAs.
    Some mobile service providers call these messages “Government Alerts” or “Emergency Alert Messages.”
    Check with your wireless provider to see if they can resolve the issue.
  3. Ready.gov says the Emergency Alert System (EAS) is sent through broadcast TV and radio, among other means, and is also used when all other means of alerting the public are unavailable; and that NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) broadcasts official warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and also broadcasts alerts of non-weather emergencies through the Emergency Alert System. The National Weather Service says NWR broadcasts official warnings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and, working with the EAS, is an "All Hazards" radio network. official guidanceUnited States
    Ready.gov (FEMA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security), Emergency Alerts — Emergency Alert System ¶2; Emergency Alert System ¶4; NOAA Weather Radio ¶2; NOAA Weather Radio ¶3
    The EAS is sent through broadcast TV and radio
    The EAS is also used when all other means of alerting the public are unavailable.
    NWR broadcasts official warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
    NWR also broadcasts alerts of non-weather emergencies such as national security or public safety threats through the Emergency Alert System.
    U.S. National Weather Service (NWS, NOAA), NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards — NWR ¶1
    NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  4. Mexico's Digital Transformation and Telecommunications Agency says that if you did not receive the phone alert, check that your phone has the alerts function turned on, or call 079; CENAPRED says the phone alert needs no app and uses no credit or data, as long as the phone is compatible, has signal and has the alerts function enabled. Ready.gov (U.S.) says that if you are not receiving WEAs, check the settings on your mobile device, and notes that older phones may not be WEA capable and some models require you to enable WEAs. official guidance
    Mexico's Digital Transformation and Telecommunications Agency (ATDT), Phone alert activated during the National Drill (gob.mx statement) — ¶9; ¶9 · consulted; copyrighted text, not reproduced
    CENAPRED (Mexico's National Center for Disaster Prevention), How does the earthquake alert work? (gob.mx article) — Nuevas formas ¶2 · consulted; copyrighted text, not reproduced
    Ready.gov (FEMA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security), Emergency Alerts — Troubleshoot ¶2; Troubleshoot ¶3
    Check the settings on your mobile device
    Older phones may not be WEA capable, and some cell phone models require you to enable WEAs.
  5. Chile's SENAPRED says its Emergency Alert System for cell phones (SAE) can send messages to every compatible phone, with the aim of alerting people to evacuate risk zones in emergencies such as tsunamis, forest fires, volcanic eruptions or mudflows. A 2016 SUBTEL press note says that, for a cell phone to be compatible with the Emergency Alert System (SAE), it must support CBS technology. official guidanceSouth America
    SENAPRED (Chile's National Disaster Prevention and Response Service), SAE tests — Presentación ¶1 · consulted; copyrighted text, not reproduced
    SUBTEL (Chile's Undersecretariat of Telecommunications), Emergency Alert System to be mandatory for all phones and mobile networks — ¶7 · consulted; copyrighted text, not reproduced

This is educational material. In a real emergency, follow the instructions of your local emergency management and officials.