Wireless Emergency Alerts are those new “geo-targeted” messages sent to cell phones and used by local emergency planners to expand the reach of their alerting infrastructures. Now manufacturer Global Security Systems says its Alert Studio message origination tool has originated its first WEA.
“The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency used Alert Studio last week to issue a series of WEA messages in relation to the winter storm that was affecting the state,” the manufacturer stated in an announcement.
It quoted MEMA Director Robert Latham saying the Alert Studio system communicated with FEMA’s IPAWS system to activate WEA messages in the desired areas. “Cellular towers inside the geographies were pinged and compatible cellular phones inside the selected coverage area received the messages,” he said.
WEA messages can include Amber Alerts, weather warnings and other information.
The company said the state government also used Alert Studio to send information to residents who had downloaded the Alert FM App to their Apple iOS and Google Android devices.
