We are receiving hundreds of reports from people throughout the country who are saying their phones are freezing up, some after receiving over 20 FEMA IPAWS Emergency Alerts on their phones.
Back in September, FEMA conducted a nationwide test of their EAS Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS), but that test was announced well ahead of time and did not include the IPAWS WEA integrations that allows these types of messages to be delivered to smartphone devices. Today’s message was not announced by FEMA, so it was either a technical glitch or the system may have been hacked like back in September – then again FEMA just might need to get their shit together!
Most of the reports say the message reads:
“TEST:IPAWSTester- Area Emergency Test #1” Integrated Public Alert Warning System
A number of law enforcement agencies and 911 call centers have been inundated with calls from panicked people who have no idea what these messages mean. The fact that these emergency response agencies are puzzled by the messages suggests that this was not a regularly scheduled test since they would have been informed.
We’re receiving reports of citizens in Milford receiving IPAWS test text messages on their mobile phones. We’re… https://t.co/VlQsnSg6vm
— Milford NH Fire (@Milfordnhfire) November 7, 2016
County OES is getting some calls about an IPAWS alert that was received by some individuals in Del Norte County…. https://t.co/5zMW19mYMH
— Prepare Del Norte (@PrepareDN) November 7, 2016
Are you getting multiple “IPAWS” test messages? Seems to be an issue w/ Federal Integrated Public Alert Warning System. Please be patient. pic.twitter.com/VzVAdZFbiT
— GIHallEMA (@GIHallEMA) November 7, 2016
Others have taken to Twitter, trying to figure out how to disable the alerts and stop their phones from freezing up, something that would be a problem during an actual emergency. We are all for being able to alert people during times of crisis, but someone over at FEMA really needs to figure this system out!
@projectfi any idea how to stop these ipaws notification? i’ve received around 30 in the last 20 mins !!
— viswanath sundaram (@vishu_were_here) November 7, 2016
What is FEMA IPAWS?
FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is an internet-based capability Federal, State, territorial, tribal, and local authorities can use to issue critical public alerts and warnings.
According to FEMA, IPAWS was built to ensure that under all conditions the President of the United States can alert and warn the American people. IPAWS allows alerting authorities to deliver alerts simultaneously through multiple communications devices reaching as many people as possible. These communication pathways include Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) that send messages directly to smartphones, even when cellular networks are overloaded and can no longer support person-to-person calls, texts, or emails.
From the reports I’m seeing it looks like a vast majority of these are coming from US Cellular customers.
Us cellular. Ive gotten 20 plus reports today. Since 10am
Lamar oklahoma
Mine started 2 hours ago and I’ve had 12 now! I’m in Indianola,Iowa
Windsor heights Iowa here. I’ve had 10 today.
I’m us cellular 3 some 1pm
Southwest in Hollis Oklahoma us cellular 3 since 1pm
Nope I have Verizon and am in Southern Missouri
Me too here in Tulsa…all afternoon!
Getting many Ipaews emergency reports..what is up
I have had like 7 n i have us cellular as well..im in maine
Me too here in Tulsa…all afternoon! With all the earthquake hoopla around here, we’re a little skittish!
I’ve been getting them all morning. I’m in omaha,ne & I am a us cellular customer
Yep mine to, it best stop before I go to bed
Im in Il and have gotten 7 so far
I’ve been getting these constantly. 18 so far today
So do you just delete them or what?
yes just delete these it is a glitch coming from FEMA they are working to correct the problem
They stated above..this is not a glitch
Yes I have us cellular I live in northern illinois my phone has been going off all day! Sick of it!
I’ve gotten them all afternoon to I’m tired of them
us cellular in silverlake wa ….. 7 alerts in last couple of hours
4 received today in Appleton, Washington
Verizon is my carrier
US Cellular in Wisconsin.. Not a single one at all… weird.. nothing for us here.
Us cellular in Wisconsin and mine has went off all day. Maybe you don’t have your alerts turned on. I had to shut mine off.
I have US Cellular, I’m in Wisconsin, and I’ve only gotten one. it went off during class.
In WI had 1 couple days ago. US cellular service.
Verizon Wisconsin, 1 alert and it disappeared as soon as i tried to view. A guy at work his went off at 1pm, mine went off at 3:30 pm. only once.
Us cellular in Wisconsin, got 3
I have them all day in Wisconsin? Hmmm
I’m getting them since 12 pm CST here in Illinois also a US Cellular customer
Here in Preston County Wv
US Cellular, Grant County WV, 2:21 PM, Nov 7 2016.
US Cellular, Flemington WV one time around 2:30pm
I am US Cellular as well……Tennessee and both my husband and I have gotten three each today
I have received three of these things….I’m in Tennessee/US Cellular
My husband and I’ve gotten several today too. We’re with US Cellular in Washington state
They claim it was a software update.
I’m in Wisconsin and have US Cellular. I got 14 texts this afternoon. My husband got one and my son two. Extremely annoying!
North Carolina 1 alert today
Us Cellular 1 today
I have us cellular. I’m in eureka california. I had 4 yesterday afternoon.
I too am a US Cellular user and have now received 5 alerts. I live in Boscobel, Wisconsin.
got about 20 of them , I have a Madison phone number
I live in Roanoke VA and I have received these alerts every ten minutes. tried power off and back on but still receiving these alerts
Have to wonder.. are they getting ready for something tomorrow with the election?
I thought the same thing. They should have more integrity with these “warning” texts.
I feel as though that may be what is happening. Trying to scare the voters. I’m in Virginia too a small town called Galax. I have been getting these alerts every 3 minutes starting around 2 o’clock
That’s what I was wondering
I live in Illinois and have US Cellular. I have received approximately 18 messages~~one about every 10 minutes. Please divulge how to disable these messages. My phone is freezing up. Very disturbing. Nobody will believe these texts in the event of a real warning because of crying “fox”.
If you have an iPhone go to Settings, Then Notifications. Scroll to the bottom of the list to Government Alerts. You should see Amber Alerts and Emergency Alerts.
Ahhhhh, wolf?????
You’re exactly right. We should have been pre-warned and received no more than 2 or 3 !!!
Getting messages every 10 minutes as well. REALLY ANNOYING! I Hope this isn’t going to go on all night. I also use US Cellular in Waupaca WI.
I also go to us cellular in waupaca. Is there a way to stop the texts?
You can disable Everything but the Presidential alerts by going to Messages>Settings>Emergency Alerts on your phone.
Thanks!
I have recieved 15 or 20 in just a few hours
NH, Sprint, got the same message. irritating, can’t stop.
Getting them every 10 mins. Got one typing this. We must have been hacked
I live in redwood Valley calif and getting alerts constantly!!! What the bleep is this?
I’m here in Tucson Arizona and I haven’t gotten that one message since this whole thing started so I don’t know if something started for you guys or and it’s not for us or we’re just not going to be included I don’t know but I do think it has something to do with this whole campaign they have set it up this way
In iowa city iowa, not sure why this is only occurring on some phones not others..I’ve received 10 so far…hope to hell if it is an actual alert that we ALL would be warned!
I have received these alerts. Four of them today in Hermiston, Oregon.
I have US Cellular as a provider.
Grants pass oregon here I have us cellular and got 5 ranging from 11:21 – 1:41pm
HOW TO STOP THOSE MESSAGES. OPEN MESSAGES ON YOUR PHONE, CHOOSE SETTINGS, EMERGENCY ALERTS AND TURN OFF. I TOO HAVE GOTTEN MORE THAN 10 OF THOSE MESSAGES AND WHEN I DID THE STEPS ABOVE THE MESSAGES HAVE STOPPED
I tried to turn them off through settings with no luck. I’m us cellular in CJ Oregon…it’s absurd every 11 minutes and sometimes 13 minutes apart
Got to MESSAGES – MORE – SETTINGS – EMERGENCY ALERT SETTINGS
You have to go through MESSAGES (icon on screen), not Settings.
I have had three since around 12. I live in Tennessee and also have us cellular
I am in TN and have had three that I heard. I am a U.S. Cellular customer also. First one around 2:15 last one at 4:44 p. M. Very annoying.
Live in. Crossville tn ,getting them every 15 to 10 min very annoying trying to sleep !!!!
Maine – US Cellular customer….. Only two so far…..
I had one but that was it in pender county north Carolina
My phone is going crazy with these alerts! It is even over heating. How do I disable them?
I live in randomlake wi an have received one about every ten to fifteen minutes. I too am using a us cellular plan. Their seems to be nothing of any interest(including the genocide of worms due to tillage of soil this time of year) of any interest. In the minute on me writing this, I have received another one.
I was getting one every 5 minutes for over an hour. About drove me crazy until I figured out how to silence the tone. US Cellular – Oklahoma