Local Wireless Emergency Alert Test on April 2

Residents within approximately ten miles of the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station should expect a Wireless Emergency Alert System test on their mobile devices on Tuesday, April 2 at 1 p.m. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division will conduct this test as part of Dominion Energy’s annual live, audible siren test for the nuclear power plant.

When mobile devices in this area around V.C. Summer alert with an audible tone on April 2, the message displayed on screen will be as follows:

“THIS IS A TEST OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. NO ACTION REQUIRED.”

Only residents in Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry and Richland counties who live within approximately ten miles of the nuclear station should receive this wireless emergency alert test. While SCEMD has issued actual wireless alerts many times during large-scale emergencies, this test is the first of its kind for South Carolina and focuses on the local area around V.C. Summer. The Federal Communications Commission granted a waiver for SCEMD to be able to proceed with this live test of mobile alerting capabilities.

In addition to the localized wireless emergency alert near V.C. Summer, all Midlands residents should expect a test message to broadcast on local TV and radio via the traditional Emergency Alert System. The message will read as follows:

“THIS IS A TEST OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. THIS IS ONLY A TEST. IF THIS WERE AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY, PERSONAL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WOULD FOLLOW. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED. THIS IS ONLY A TEST.”

Both Wireless Emergency Alerts and the Emergency Alert System are part of a modernized emergency alerting capability called the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, or IPAWS. State and local emergency managers can use IPAWS to send emergency alerts and warnings through multiple means using a common system. The system is designed to reduce the amount of time needed to deliver critical, life safety information to residents so that they can take steps to protect themselves. More information about IPAWS can be found through FEMA at fema.gov/integrated-public-alert-warning-system.

For more information on emergency alerting from SCEMD, visit scemd.org.