During an emergency, the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA or Agency) must provide the public with life-saving information quickly. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), made available through the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) infrastructure, are just one of the ways the Agency can quickly and effectively alert and warn the public about serious emergencies.
What people need to know about Wireless Emergency Alerts:
The Agency and local public safety officials, the National Weather Service, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the President of the United States can send Wireless Emergency Alerts.
These alerts can be issued for three alert categories: imminent threat, AMBER and presidential.
The wireless alerts look like text messages, but they are designed to get a person’s attention and alert the person with a unique sound and vibration, both repeated twice.
The wireless alerts are no more than 90 characters and will include the type and time of the alert, any action the person should take, as well as the agency issuing the alert.
The alerts are not affected by network congestion and will not disrupt texts, calls or data sessions that are in progress.
Mobile users are not charged for receiving the alerts, and there is no need to subscribe.
To ensure your device is WEA-capable, check with your service provider
For information on WEA, go to https://www.ready.gov/alerts.
For a demonstration on wireless emergency alerts, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDpcGypv2_U&feature=youtu.be
