Statewide Emergency Alert System Drill Set for April 2

At the direction of the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), the City of Carrollton will participate in a statewide test of public warning systems on Thursday, April 2 as part of a coordinated emergency preparedness initiative led by the

This state-mandated drill is designed to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of emergency alerting tools, such as Everbridge, used to notify residents during critical incidents. These tools include landline-based emergency notification systems, Wireless Emergency Alerts (like those used for AMBER Alerts), and the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System from FEMA.

The statewide testing window will occur between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. During this time, residents may receive test messages across multiple platforms. All alerts will clearly indicate they are part of a test and that no emergency is taking place.

"Carrollton's goal for this drill is to test and confirm functionality of as many emergency communication channels as possible, reach as much of our community's population as we can, and identify areas for improvement when attempting to make those connections," Elliott Reep, Emergency Management Coordinator said. "As emergency managers, we are making a concerted effort to strengthen confidence in activating and operating these alert technologies, but more importantly, we are encouraging residents to develop, review, or update their own personal emergency plans when recognizing and responding to the alerts."

The City's CarrolltonAlert program, operated by Everbridge, enables critical information to broadcast to citizens quickly in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons, and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods. Registrants will receive time-sensitive messages wherever they specify, including home, mobile or business phones, email address, text messages and more.

Preparing before an actual emergency occurs is why alerting authorities across local and regional agencies will also be participating on April 2 including school districts and higher education institutions, river authorities, tribal nations, public safety agencies, as well as councils of government and other regional partners.

"Regular training and testing of public warning systems builds readiness before disaster strikes and is an important component of community safety," Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said in a March 18 TDEM press release. "Conducting drills to reaffirm procedures, promote confidence in technological tools, and identify potential shortfalls is key to ensuring these systems operate with precision, accuracy, and timeliness when they are needed the most."

Legal Authority

This combined drill is conducted in accordance with Chapter 418.043 of the Texas Government Code, which authorizes TDEM to establish standards and requirements for local and interjurisdictional emergency management plans and training. The exercise supports TDEM's commitment to strengthening emergency preparedness across Texas and ensures local jurisdictions, including the City of Carrollton, are ready to effectively communicate with the public during emergencies.

For more information about emergency preparedness in Carrollton including how to sign up for CarrolltonAlert, visit cityofcarrollton.com/EmergencyManagement.