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The Wolf administration will begin using the National Wireless Emergency Alert System (WEA) to deliver important public messages about the COVID-19 pandemic.
WEA is a national public safety system that allows customers with compatible mobile devices to receive geographically targeted text messages alerting them to impending security threats in their area. The WEA system is commonly used to issue urgent and vital alerts, such as amber alerts or severe weather warnings.
The Office of Public Security and Homeland Security of the Federal Communications Commission allows the state, as the authorized initiator of message alerts, to use the WEA system as a COVID-19 communication tool.
Pennsylvania’s first message will be sent statewide today, with the ability to target specific areas of the state for future messages. For example, if an area of the state is experiencing an unusually high increase in COVID-19 cases, cell phone users in that area may receive an alert with information about staying home or the location. where to find an available COVID-19 test site in their area.
“WEA is one more way to reach as many Pennsylvanians as possible to provide timely information on COVID-19,” Governor Tom Wolf said. “This tool is another tool in our toolkit to fight the pandemic and unite against COVID.”
The content of the message, in English and Spanish, is a combined effort of the Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. PEMA will send alerts through FEMA’s Integrated Public Warning and Warning System (IPAWS) to participating wireless operators, who will then forward the alerts to compatible mobile devices in the region. Wireless companies volunteer to participate in WEA.
According to the Federal Communications Commission, since its launch in 2012, the WEA system has been used nearly 56,000 times to alert the public of dangerous weather conditions, missing children and other critical situations – all through alerts on cell phones. compatible and other mobile devices.
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