This press release issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

WASHINGTON – FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) this summer.

The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests will begin at 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Aug. 11.

The Wireless Emergency Alert portion of the test will be directed only to consumer cell phones where the subscriber has opted-in to receive test messages. This will be the second nationwide WEA test, but the first nationwide WEA test on a consumer opt-in basis. The test message will display in either English or in Spanish, depending on the language settings of the wireless handset.

This press release issued by the National Weather Service

Severe thunderstorms can be life-threatening, but not all severe storms are the same. Hazardous conditions range from tornadoes, large hail storms, and widespread straight-line winds called derechos, to cloud-to-ground lightning and flash flooding. Starting August 2, the National Weather Service will better convey the severity and potential impacts from thunderstorm winds and hail by adding a “damage threat” tag to Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, similar to our Tornado and Flash Flood Warnings.

Today (May 18), the Iowa Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management announced upgrades to the AlertIowa system. These upgrades are a result of the State selecting a new vendor to deliver the emergency messages to subscribers across the state, Rave Mobile Safety/Smart 911. After reviewing the features of the new system, discussing concerns about moving over 4,000 subscribers to a new system in the height of the severe weather season and just as the tourism season is ramping up, the Dickinson County Emergency Management Commission has voted to keep our current system in place through Inspiron Logistics/WENS. Over the coming months, we will evaluate the options and features of the new State vendor, compare them to our current vendor, and determine whether we will rejoin the AlertIowa system or remain on our own.

Anyone with questions or concerns about the DickinsonAlert system may call the Emergency Management office at 712-336-3987, or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

DickinsonAlert is an Emergency Notification System that serves Dickinson County, Iowa. DickinsonAlert allows citizens to sign up for various types of notifications including severe weather alerts and local emergency notifications. In addition, many communities use the system to push alerts to their residents for things like snow removal, road closures, and utility disruptions. Messages can be issued via a voice call, text message, and/or e-mail. For more information on DickinsonAlert, or to register, go to www.dcem.us/dickinsonalert.