NYC Sending Test Emergency Text Alerts Today
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York City is sending out text message alerts Thursday, but don't worry -- it's only a test.
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New York City's Office of Emergency Management is testing the personal localized alerting network or PLAN.
A total of six alerts will be sent until 3 p.m.
A notification will be displayed on the screen of your mobile device with a text that reads: "Severe alert" or "Extreme alert."
Officials say you will then see a message that says "This is a test from NYC Office of Emergency Mgmt. Test Message 1. This is only a test."
It's a new, free emergency notification service that will allow authorized government officials to send emergency alerts to enabled mobile devices on the AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon wireless networks.
Emergency Management Commissioner Joe Bruno says this is only for newer phones and those certain carriers.
"So there may be some phones out there that if they're in the area where we're broadcasting a message, they could get this message and see it," Bruno said.
A pilot version of PLAN is set to go live in the five boroughs on New Year's day.
For more information, click here.
