Van Buren County Sheriff News Release -[EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM TEST]

Date: July 16^th, 2025
Time: 10:50 AM
Location: Countywide (TV, radio, and mobile alerts) in Van Buren, Berrien, and Allegan Counties

⚠️ This is Only a Test ⚠️

As part of our ongoing commitment to public safety and emergency preparedness, the Van Buren County Office of Domestic Preparedness/Emergency Management will conduct a live test of the Public Alerting System. This test is part of our routine, scheduled testing cycle to ensure that communication systems are working correctly in case of a real emergency.

What to Expect During the Test:

• EAS messages on TV and radio
• Mobile phone emergency alerts
• Messaging that clearly states:

These tests ensure that you and your family can receive critical information during:

• Natural disasters
• Hazardous material events
• Severe weather
• Any countywide emergency situation

We are also requesting all those who are able in Van Buren, Berrien, and Allegan Counties, to complete a brief online survey to show the effectiveness of this test message. The link to the survey is https://arcg.is/0yWmWi

This survey will also be available on the main website for Van Buren, Berrien, and Allegan County Sheriff's Offices.

Contact Us

Phone: 269-657-7786
Website:Office of Domestic Preparedness | Van Buren County, MI Email:[email protected]

1. Purpose of the Test: Validating Public Alert Systems

• Objective: To evaluate the performance of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA), Emergency Alert System (EAS), and Commercial Mass Notification (CMN) systems in a real-world, live setting.
• Method: A test alert will be sent simultaneously over WEA, EAS, and CMN platforms using the "Local Area Emergency (LAE)" event code.
• Supporting Fact: The test is designed to simulate a real-world emergency notification process and includes an anonymous public survey to gather performance data.

2. Geographic Coverage: Entire Countywide Test Across Three Counties

• Scope : The alert will be transmitted to all residents within the boundaries of Allegan, Berrien, and Van Buren Counties, Michigan.
• Supporting Fact : Modern alerting technologies like Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) are designed to reach broad geographic areas. Countywide testing ensures every community has the opportunity to experience how these systems function.
• Benefit : Testing across full county lines eliminates confusion about who should expect the alert and allows emergency managers to gather useful feedback from a wide public audience.

3. Test Date and Time: When to Expect the Alert

• Primary Test Time: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 at 10:50 A.M. Eastern Time
• Backup Times:
  • First Backup: July 16, 2025 at 11:50 A.M.
  • Second Backup: July 17, 2025 at 10:50 A.M.
• Alert Duration: Up to 1 hour
• Supporting Fact: All test messages will clearly indicate they are a test and include a link to a feedback survey.

4. What the Public Will Receive: Sample Message Content

• Wireless Emergency Alert (90-Character WEA):

"TEST. Van Buren County. This is a TEST. For Feedback: https://arcg.is/0yWmWi "

• Long WEA Message (360 characters):

"This is a TEST of the Van Buren County, MI warning system. This system will be used in emergencies to warn the public of danger and provide protective actions to avoid harm. This is only a TEST. Please provide feedback here: https://arcg.is/0yWmWi "

"This is a TEST of the Van Buren County, MI warning system. This system will be used in emergencies to warn the public of danger and provide protective actions to avoid harm. Please complete a feedback survey on the Van Buren, Allegan, or Berrien County Emergency Management webpage." This is only a TEST

5. Public Participation Encouraged: Take the Survey

• Action Requested: Recipients of the alert are encouraged to complete a short online survey about when and where they received the alert.
• Link: https://arcg.is/0yWmWi
• Supporting Fact: Feedback helps local emergency managers assess system performance and plan improvements.

6. Who's Involved: Joint Local Government Exercise

• Lead Agency: Van Buren County Office of Domestic Preparedness
• Participating Agencies:
  • Allegan County Emergency Management
  • Berrien County Emergency Management
  • FEMA (observer and post-test review)
• Supporting Fact: The test is authorized under federal and state emergency management laws and is supported by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and FEMA's IPAWS program.

7. No Action Needed by Public - It's Only a Test

• Clarification: The alert is only a test. No protective actions are required.
• Device Behavior: Alerts may appear on phones and other devices with sound and vibration, similar to a real emergency.
• Supporting Fact: Emergency managers are using a "Public Safety Message" format to conduct the test, which helps them evaluate how different types of devices respond. Public participation in the survey will help emergency officials better understand alert delivery performance and improve future emergency communication efforts.

8. Enable Emergency Alerts on Your Mobile Device

• Why It Matters: Your device must be configured to receive Public Safety Messages and related emergency alerts to successfully receive the test.
• Quick Tips:
  • iPhone: Go to Settings > Notifications, scroll to the bottom, and ensure Emergency Alerts, AMBER Alerts, and Public Safety Alerts are turned ON.
  • Android (Samsung/Google/others): Open Settings > Safety & Emergency (or Notifications > Wireless Emergency Alerts), then enable all alert categories (Extreme Threat, Severe Threat, Public Safety, Test Alerts)
• Reminder: Make sure your phone's volume isn't muted or silenced-alerts typically override "Do Not Disturb" but performance may vary based on phone or service types.

9. Why You Might Not Receive an Alert & How to Avoid It

• Potential Reasons:
  • Your alert categories for Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) or Public Safety Messages may be turned off.
  • Poor or no cell service, especially if you're connected to Wi-Fi only.
  • Your device doesn't support the WEA format or relevant alert categories.
  • The device was turned off, in airplane mode, out of network range at the time of the test, or outside of the County boundaries being tested.
• Solutions:
  • Double-check that Public Safety Messages, Test Alerts, and all WEA categories are enabled in your phone's settings.
  • Switch to a location with strong mobile signal, and keep your device turned on.
  • Sign up for your county's opt-in alert service to receive notifications on landline phones or via email/text.
  • Consider purchasing a NOAA Weather Radio or similar alerting device, which works in areas with poor cell reception.

10. Emergency Alert System (EAS): Broadcast Alerts via TV and Radio

• What to Expect: At the test time, you may see or hear a brief message interrupting local television or radio broadcasts. This is part of the federally regulated Emergency Alert System.
• How It Works: The alert is distributed via participating broadcasters and cable TV systems. Messages may appear differently depending on the station or provider, but all will include the phrase: "This is a test."
• Important Note: EAS alerts are not geographically limited like cell phone alerts. They are broadcast broadly across the region, so people well outside the test area may still hear or see the alert.

11. NOAA Weather Radios: Broad Regional Broadcast Alerts

• What to Expect: If you own a NOAA Weather Radio, it may activate at the test time and broadcast a public safety message.
• How It Works: The National Weather Service relays certain alerts using its radio network. These radios are excellent tools for rural and underserved cell coverage areas.
• Reminder: NOAA radios cannot target narrow zones. You may receive the test alert even if you are outside the intended area.

12. Van Buren County's Commercial Mass Notification System

• What to Expect : Some residents may receive a voice call as part of the alert test through Van Buren County's Commercial Mass Notification System (CMNS). The message will clearly identify itself as an official test from Van Buren County Emergency Management.
• What It May Sound Like : At first, the call may resemble a typical robocall or telemarketing message. However, please stay on the line - this is a legitimate emergency preparedness test and not a sales call.
• How It Works : The system uses commercial contact databases to reach landline and mobile phone users across Van Buren County and, in some cases, surrounding areas in Berrien and Allegan Counties. This approach helps ensure a broad and inclusive reach.
• Reassurance : You do not need to sign up to receive this message. The purpose of the call is to test the county's ability to rapidly notify the public using multiple alerting methods.

13. Allegan County's Commercial Mass Notification System

• What to Expect: If you are enrolled in Allegan County's emergency alert system through Smart911, you may receive a test message via phone, email, or text message during the scheduled alert window.
• How It Works: This opt-in system is designed to notify residents about local hazards, missing people, weather alerts, and other emergencies. It operates alongside state and federal systems. Only those who have signed up will receive these types of notifications, sign up at https://www.smart911.com/ by registering for an account and associating your profile for Allegan County's alerts.
• Get Involved: To ensure you receive future alerts, residents are encouraged to register through the Allegan County Emergency Management webpage.

14. Berrien County's B-WARN! Notification System

• What to Expect: Participants in Berrien County's B-WARN! (Berrien Warning and Regional Notification) system may receive a test message by text, voice call, or email, depending on how they are registered.
• How It Works: B-WARN! is Berrien County's primary opt-in alerting platform for weather emergencies, chemical spills, evacuation notices, and public safety announcements. Only those who have signed up will receive these types of notifications.
• Pro Tip: If you haven't registered or need to update your contact info, visit the Emergency Management page www.bcsheriff.org before the test date to make sure you're included.