Agency to conduct warning system test March 19

The Huron County Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will conduct a test utilizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) at 12:15 p.m., March 19, according to a news release.

The purpose of this test is to check the county’s capability of the system with the upcoming solar eclipse event in April, emergency situations that may occur in the future and to ensure emergency management officials are familiar and trained with the system in case of an event within the county that warrants an emergency alert issuance, the release said.

These alerts can be issued by the Huron County Emergency Management Agency office for a variety of situations that pose imminent threat to life and/or property to include evacuation orders, hazardous material releases, civil danger warnings, shelter in place orders, 9-1-1 telephone outages and other local area emergencies, according to the release.

The Integrated Public Alert & Warning System is FEMA’s national system for local alerting that provides authenticated emergency and life-saving information to the public through mobile phones using Wireless Emergency Alerts, to radio and television via the Emergency

Alert System, and on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Radio.

Authorized public safety officials send the alerts through the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System to wireless providers, which then push the alerts from cell towers to mobile devices in the affected area.

The alerts will appear like text messages on mobile devices.

Residents can expect to receive this test on their cellular devices, radio, television and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radios, according to the release.

It’s also important to mention that persons in adjacent counties near the Huron County border also may receive the test, especially those in and near the city of Bellevue, village of Milan, village of Plymouth in Richland County, Flat Rock in Seneca County, and Kipton and Rochester in Lorain County.

“We also ask residents not to call 9-1-1 regarding the test,” the release said. “The Huron County Emergency Management Agency will post a survey on our Facebook page the day of the test and ask Huron County residents to participate in the survey.”

This test will be postponed if inclement weather is forecast to affect the area on the day of the test, according to the release.

If you have any questions, contact the Huron County Emergency Management Agency at 419-663-5772 or Kstevens@huroncountyema.com.