Test warnings to be sent March 26

A test alert and warning message will be sent to all of Custer County’s available alert and warning methods Wednesday, March 26, at 1:30 p.m. This testing is being conducted in coordination with Fall River, Meade, and Pennington counties.
The test message will be sent to the public by:
• Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to cell phones (that have been enabled to receive test messages)
• Emergency Alert System (EAS) via participating television and radio broadcasters
• Weather radios - All zazards tuned into the proper codes
• Custer and Hermosa outdoor alert sirens
The goal of this test is to have the best possible saturation of Custer County residents and businesses using all emergency alert and warning capabilities.
“We want to make sure individuals are aware of the emergency messaging dissemination methods that exist in Custer County and how the community can receive alerts and warnings issued by public alerting authorities during emergencies,” said Custer County emergency management director Steve Esser.
Businesses, schools and medical facilities are encouraged to use this test message as an exercise for their staff, faculty or students where appropriate.
The public can confirm receipt of the test messaging in a short survey at pshub.us.

During a rapidly evolving incident in Custer County available and appropriate warning tools will be used to alert the community of any life-threatening, all-risk, all-hazard emergency from natural threats or human-caused threats.
Emergency warning dissemination methods in Custer County include:
• Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) – WEA is a public safety system that allows enabled mobile devices to receive geographically targeted, text-like messages alerting them of imminent threats to safety in their area, with a unique sound and vibration. Check your device settings annually to ensure it is enabled to receive a WEA message. Seek out your mobile phone manufacturer or wireless provider for specific instructions to access hidden menus or functions where the WEA alerts can be enabled.
• Emergency Alert System (EAS) – The Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system that requires TV and radio broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, satellite digital audio radio service providers, direct broadcast satellite service providers, and wireline video service providers to offer to deliver important emergency information from the president or Amber Alerts (missing children) and emergency weather information targeted to a specific area. If you turn on your television to a local broadcast station at the time of the test, you should see the message from participating media partners.
• Weather Radio All-Hazard – A NOAA Weather Radio All zazards broadcasts official
Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts, and other hazard information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You must have a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio tuned into specific area message encoding code to receive the test message.
• Outdoor alert sirens – Outdoor alert siren activations in County County can be heard if you are outdoors and near a siren location when it is activated for a test or an actual event.
These sirens alert you that there is and event happening and to seek information utilizing the messaging sources listed above, as well as other sources of information.
During a rapidly evolving incident in Custer County, emergency management will use all available and appropriate warning tools to alert the community of any life-threatening, all-risk, all-hazard emergency from natural threats or human-caused threats.