The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) has announced a statewide test of local alerting systems to evaluate the effectiveness and functionality of these public warning tools. The planned drill will be today (April 2).
“We completely agree with TDEM Chief Nim Kidd of the importance of testing our public warning systems. Regular training and conducting drills helps muscle memory, reaffirms the procedures used and identifies potential short falls,” said Fayette County Judge Dan Mueller.
This test of local warning systems is part of TDEM’s commitment to working with Texas communities to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of disasters and emergencies throughout the state.
The Capital Area Council of Governments’ Department of Homeland Security has requested that Fayette County send the messages out at 10:15 a.m. today (April 2).
“We will be using the 911 database, as well as using our Integrated Public Alert & Warning system, and to avoid overloading the 911 system, CAPCOG is asking us to stagger the times of the messages,” said Angela Hahn, Fayette County emergency management coordinator.
“The message will be brief, saying this is only a test and no action is needed. We realize it’s somewhat inconvenient because people may get multiple messages, but it is important to know we can reach county residents in the event of an emergency,” Hahn said.
TDEM has also requested participating organizations to share with state emergency management officials an update after completion of the drill with a summary, key takeaways, and any relevant details that may provide context about the success of the local system test.
