If you were awakened rather abruptly this morning by a piercing alert tone coming from your phone, you can put the blame on the Florida Department of Emergency Management monthly testing scheme.
And an apology has been made.
A lot of people have cell phones sitting by their beds while they sleep and this morning at 4:50 a.m. they reacted, well, startled, to the FDEM alert relayed statewide by the non-profit, state-chartered Florida Association of Broadcasters.
The alert was not for an emergency, rather just a "test": “This is a TEST of the Emergency Alert System. No action is required.”
The reason for the alert came out via a tweet from the Florida Department of Emergency Management that offered an apology, but little solace for those awakened early:
"We know a 4:45 AM wake up call isn't ideal. @FLSERT wants to apologize for the early morning text. Each month, we test #emergencyalerts on a variety of platforms. This alert was supposed to be on TV, and not disturb anyone already sleeping. We are taking the appropriate action to ensure this will never happen again and that only true emergencies are sent as alerts in the middle of the night."
The FAB's Emergency Alert System or EAS test schedule runs roughly the 20th to the 22nd each month, flipping between 1:50 p.m. and 4:50 a.m.
An explanation on the FAB website says: "Monthly tests will be conducted between 8:30 a.m. and local sunset on odd numbered months and between local sunset and 8:30 a.m. on even numbered months."
April is an even numbered month.
Pat Roberts, an FAB official, also issued an explanation:
"As you know, there was an alert sent this morning at 4:50 a.m. The State of Florida's Division of Emergency Management Watch Office sent out the incorrect test, which sent the wrong alert. We are told we should be receiving a statement from the Division shortly.
"Once we receive it, we will blast it out, and also put out our own statement.
"The test is sent out monthly to only TV and radio broadcasters as required by the FCC. FAB only sets the schedule, the Florida Division of Emergency Management is responsible for sending it out. FAB has no involvement in the sending of these alerts.
"A mistake was made by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, they are well aware of the seriousness of it, and we are all working on it."
The test did not endear many Floridians to the FAB, wrongly so by the above explanation, as witnessed by these posts on the association's Facebook page:
- Are you freaking serious? 4:45 AM WAKING EVERYONE UP? Someone needs to lose their job!
- Who came up with this schedule? Because of it, hundreds, or even thousands or more will just end up disabling the alerts. Great job bringing it to our attention.
- Those alerts are at 3:50am for those of us in the central time zone.... Thanks a lot.
- HEY FAB, what an inconsiderate time for a test at 4:45AM this morning. You really need to think about this one, NOT COOL!
- Which one of you thought “it’s a great idea to “TEST” the emergency alert system at 4:45am?” You sadistic twerp! A great way to embed a bad impression, so no one takes it serious when it’s real. #genius
According to the Federal Communications Commission the majority of EAS alerts originate from the National Weather Service in response to severe weather events, but an increasing number of state, local, territorial, and tribal authorities also send alerts.
An explanation on EAS from the FCC says:
"The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the FCC, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service (NWS) work collaboratively to maintain the EAS and Wireless Emergency Alerts, which are the two main components of the national public warning system and enable authorities at all levels of government to send urgent emergency information to the public.
"FEMA is responsible for any national-level activation, tests, and exercises of the EAS.
"The FCC's role includes establishing technical standards for EAS participants, procedures for EAS participants to follow in the event the system is activated, and testing protocols for EAS participants.
"Alerts are created by authorized federal, state, and local authorities. The FCC does not create or transmit EAS alerts."
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