The City of Austin is stepping up its public safety communications game by becoming a FEMA-approved IPAWS Alerting Authority. According to the City of Austin's recent announcement, this move will give the city the ability to send out emergency information across multiple platforms directly to residents without the need for any subscription services. Initially, such capabilities were reserved for counties, but it seems Austin, with its unique position spread across Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties, made a strong case for the upgrade.
For those not in the loop, IPAWS, or the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, is a nationwide system that jurisdictions can use to push life-saving alerts to the public through cellular networks, television, and radio. According to the City of Austin's announcement, the city needed a way to directly alert its residents due to its reach into the three aforementioned counties, which previously would have involved coordinating with multiple county emergency management teams to get the word out.
Setting up as an IPAWS Alerting Authority doesn't just mean having the ability to send out alerts; it also comes with a responsibility to regularly test the systems at play here – both the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and the Emergency Alerts System (EAS). Per the City of Austin announcement, "These types of alerts save lives in an emergency," HSEM Director Jim Redick said in a statement. “Testing both WEA and EAS together will allow us to ensure our alerting systems are ready, effective, and reliable when we need them.” These tests are key to ensuring everything works seamlessly across various services and networks, and that people recognize what an official alert looks and sounds like.
Come September 29, Austin's Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEM) will put the WEA and EAS to the test at around 3 p.m. CST. The operation aims to blanket the entire city, crossing county lines into Williamson, Travis, and Hays with a practice alert. It's a citywide drill, reassuring residents that the systems meant to protect them are in top shape. Along with this, residents should check their devices to see if government alerts are enabled – a crucial step given that "Texas leads the nation in percentage of population that has opted out of receiving WEA alerts on their cell phones," as Redick pointed out, as detailed on the City of Austin announcement. The message during the test will make it clear that no action is needed by the public.
So here's what to expect: On the test day, Austin radios, televisions, and cable companies will carry the EAS test message. At the same time, mobile phones within the city's reach that are equipped to receive WEA messages should receive a test alert as well. It's important for those who live in the vicinity to note that due to cell signal propagation, the test message might be received just outside of the immediate Austin area in surrounding counties. All things considered, this is a step towards ensuring the safety and preparedness of Austin's residents.
