Emergency Alerts (IPAWS)
How Official Alerts Reach You
The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is FEMA’s national system for local emergency alerts. It lets the Limestone County EMA send official, life-saving information to your phone, radio, TV, and NOAA Weather Radio.
More ways to get alerts:
Where You’ll Get Alerts
- Mobile phonesWireless Emergency Alerts pop up on your phone with a loud tone, even without signing up.
- Radio and TVThe Emergency Alert System interrupts radio, TV, and cable programming.
- NOAA Weather RadioWeather and other hazard alerts broadcast around the clock.
- Internet servicesApps and websites that pass along official alerts.
Wireless Emergency Alerts
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are the main way Limestone County alerts people during an emergency. We send them when a situation is:
- Urgent: people need to take action now or within the hour
- Severe: there's a significant threat to life or property
- Certain: the danger has been seen, or is more likely than not
Alerts go out through cell towers to phones and other connected devices, like smartwatches and tablets. Many phones can receive alerts and call 911 even without an active service plan, as long as the phone is turned on and has a signal.
When we send an alert, we draw the area in danger on a map, usually making it large enough to reach people heading toward the danger too. For most disasters, that's the whole county. If your phone enters the area while the alert is active, it will go off.
Alerts are short, so listen to local radio or TV for details. See the list of emergency alert stations.
Turn on alerts on your phone
Wireless Emergency Alerts are free and there's nothing to sign up for, but they have to be turned on in your phone's settings.
- iPhone
- Settings, then Notifications. Scroll to the bottom and turn on Emergency Alerts under Government Alerts.
- Android
- Open Settings and search for "emergency alerts." The menu name varies by phone maker.
Still not sure? Your phone carrier or store can help.