On Wednesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent out the first ‘presidential alert’ to millions of electronic devices, according to Fox News.
An Overview of the First ‘Presidential Alert’
FEMA’s ‘presidential alert’ reached roughly 225 million devices at 2:18 PM EDT on Wednesday afternoon. The content of the message subsequently read as follows:
“THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
FEMA’s message also prompted the buzzing of receiving electronic device; the buzzing mirrored that of a flood warning or an Amber alert. According to FEMA officials, approximately 75% of smartphones in America will be able to receive these type of alerts.
More on ‘Presidential Alerts’
The White House must follow certain regulations in order to release alerts of the aforementioned manner. First and foremost, events of public danger or nationwide crises are the only warrants for sending ‘presidential alerts.’ U.S. presidents are also prohibited from using ‘presidential alerts’ to send out personal or promotional messages.
