WEA is not designed to – and does not – track the location of anyone receiving a WEA alert. These consumers receive the alerts just as customers with postpaid, monthly service do. Consumers with prepaid phones can receive WEAs as long as their provider has decided to participate in WEA and the customer has a WEA-enabled device. Are consumers able to receive WEAs on a prepaid phone? The alert is accompanied by a unique attention signal and vibration, which is particularly helpful to people with hearing or vision-related disabilities. What do consumers experience when they receive a WEA?Ī WEA alert appears on the screen of the recipient's handset as a text-like message. Participating carriers may allow subscribers to block all but National alerts. Alerts conveying recommendations for saving lives and property.Alerts involving imminent threats to safety or life.

National alerts issued by the President of the United States or the Administrator of FEMA.

Consumers may only receive four types of alerts: WEA alerts only cover critical emergency situations. WEA allows government officials to send emergency alerts to all subscribers with WEA-capable devices if their wireless carrier participates in the program. Do consumers have to sign up to receive alerts?Ĭonsumers do not need to sign up for this service. How much do consumers pay to receive WEA?Īlerts are free. In other words, a customer visiting from Chicago would be able to receive alerts in New York so long as the person has a WEA-enabled mobile device in the alert zone. This means that if an alert is sent to a zone in New York, WEA-capable mobile devices in that zone can receive the alert, even if they are roaming or visiting from another state. The alerts are broadcast to the geographic area affected by an emergency.

FAQs about WEA How does WEA work?Īuthorized national, state, or local government authorities may send alerts regarding public safety emergencies – such as severe weather, missing children, or the need to evacuate– using WEA.Īuthorized public safety officials send WEA alerts through FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) to participating wireless carriers, which then push the alerts to compatible mobile devices in the affected area. Wireless companies volunteer to participate in WEA, which is the result of a unique public/private partnership between the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the FCC, and the United States wireless industry in order to enhance public safety. The Warning, Alert and Response Network (WARN) Act established WEA in 2008 and it became operational in 2012. WEA enables government officials to target emergency alerts to specific geographic areas – lower Manhattan in New York, for example. WEA is a public safety system that allows customers who own compatible mobile devices to receive geographically targeted, text-like messages alerting them of imminent threats to safety in their area.

Since its launch in 2012, the WEA system has been used more than 78,000 times to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations – all through alerts on compatible cell phones and other mobile devices. The Wireless Emergency Alerts system is an essential part of America's emergency preparedness.

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