Get Ready For The 1st Wireless Emergency Alert Test In Denver

DENVER (CBS4) – The Office of Emergency Management in Denver will test its wireless emergency testing system on Wednesday providing the local agency with another way to contact the public directly on their cellphones.

"We are testing our wireless emergency alert testing system for the first time in the City of County of Denver," said Loa Esquilin, a public information officer for OEM in Denver. "It's going to be around 1 million people getting the alert at the same time."

The test will take place between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, sending an alert to any cellphone within the county, even those not assigned a local number or owned by someone who does not live in Denver. But cellphones must have Amber Alert notifications turned on in their settings to receive the alert.

That includes people who are in Denver at the time, even if they don't live in the city.

The goal of the test is not only to make sure staff are ready to use it, but also that the public is familiar with it.

The test will be loud and go off three times, phones will also vibrate when the alert is going off on devices.

LINK: Denver Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security