The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be conducting a test of its wireless emergency alerts on Sept. 12 in Thurston County, according to a news release from the county.
The test is being carried out to assess and improve geographic accuracy of wireless emergency alerts. Thurston County is one of 42 local government agencies participating in the testing.
Thurston County officials are currently looking for volunteers to help with the test and to collect data. Anyone interested in participating can email Thurston County Emergency Management Coordinator Sonya Kroese at sonya.kroese@co.thurston.wa.us for more information. The deadline for volunteering to help test is Sept. 8.
“Wireless emergency alerts are a lifesaving tool, but emergency managers tell us that they need more information on the geographic accuracy of these alerts in order to use them with confidence,” said chair of the FCC Jessica Rosenworcel in the Thurston County news release.
Public safety officials want to ensure that when they send a wireless emergency alert it only goes to those in the target area experiencing the emergency and not to anyone beyond it.
When a wireless emergency alert is released, it goes through FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System where participating mobile phone service providers push the alert to compatible phones in the affected area.
Mobile phone service provider participation in this program isn’t mandatory but is widespread throughout the industry. Participating providers are required to get wireless emergency alerts to the specified area experiencing an emergency without going more than a tenth of a mile beyond that area.
This is accomplished by using an enhanced geotargeting functionality, which approximately 60% of active smartphones in the country have according to industry estimates.
Thurston County uses wireless emergency alerts along with its own Thurston Community Alert system to reach as many people as possible during emergencies.
“This test with the FCC as our partner will help us ensure we’re prepared to get information to people in the next disaster,” said interim Thurston County Emergency Services Director Ben Miller-Todd in release.
