Today, April 5, between 10 and 11 a.m., mobile phones and devices around the are will buzz as 20 jurisdictions, including the City of Falls Church, will simultaneously issue a test message to the public through the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system. WEA is a public safety alerting system allowing government officials to target emergency information to a specific geographic area using an individual’s cell phone or other mobile device. WEA allows the messaging to be more targeted and efficient which is critical during an emergency.

Individuals in the participating jurisdictions will receive the following message: “A test of the Fairfax County Emergency Alert System. No action required.”

The alert triggers a loud noise while displaying the text message on cell phones and mobile devices. Individuals do not sign up to receive a WEA alert.