NY Emergency Test May Be Received by NJ Residents

The New York City Office of Emergency Management in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency , the Federal Communications Commission, and mobile telephone service providers will be conducting the first-ever end-to-end test of cellular broadcasting technology this Thursday, Dec. 15, from approximately 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.. 

During the test a series of messages will be broadcast over the cellular network and may be received by enabled handsets. Each of these broadcasts will clearly indicate that it is only a test message and that no emergency exists. However, since this is new technology and may take individuals by surprise, we recommend that you brief your staff on the test should it generate any phone call from the public. New York City OEM and FEMA will be issuing a press release and Notify NYC message in order to inform the public. 

While this test is targeted for New York City it is possible that mobile phones in neighboring communities (Nassau County, Westchester County, New Jersey) may also receive the test messages. If the public has any questions regarding the technology, they should be directed to contact their mobile phone service provider’s customer service number. Each service provider has indicated that their customer service personnel have been informed of this new technology and are aware of the test.