Austin and Travis County residents should prepare to receive multiple emergency alerts on Thursday, April 2, as local government agencies participate in a statewide test of public warning systems.

“This is critical, this is important, this is literally a matter of life and death. And that’s not an overstatement of the role of warning systems and receiving these messages. They can save your life, and they can save those you love,” Mayor Kirk Watson said.

What’s happening

The Texas Division of Emergency Management announced the first-of-its-kind statewide testing of local alerting systems earlier this month.

“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 statement. “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.”

Locally, both Austin and Travis County have been preparing for the drills for weeks. Most residents will likely receive location-based Integrated Public Alert & Warning System, or IPAWS, wireless alerts, while those who are subscribed to Warn Central Texas will also receive alerts through that system.

The details

Multiple regional entities joining in the drill will send alerts out on a staggered basis. Depending on residents’ location throughout the day, they may receive several test notices.

The Capital Area Council of Governments scheduled testing at the following times:

Travis County at 10:15 a.m.Williamson County at 10:30 a.m.Hays County at 10:45 a.m.Austin IPAWS at 11 a.m. and regional Warn Central Texas at 11:15 a.m.School districts, colleges and universities, river authorities, and other law enforcement or emergency management agencies may test their systems as well.

“We understand that alert fatigue is real, and we know that Texas is No. 1 in the nation for folks who opt out of alerts. Please don’t do that,” Austin Emergency Management Director Jim Redick said. “You will receive multiple alerts and you’ll probably receive bleed-over from other counties, but I can tell you that we’re going to err on the side of over-alerting. We want to make sure that you get the information when it counts the most.”

Officials urged residents to both subscribe to WarnCentralTexas.org, and ensure their cellphone settings allow other alerts to come through. Watson said he hopes Central Texans know the April 2 testing isn’t a false alarm and take the opportunity to prepare for the future.

“If on Thursday, you in the public aren’t getting the test, you’re not getting a warning. What that means is you’re exposed at the time of an emergency or a disaster,” he said. “You need to get on the system.”

He also noted the frequent spread of disinformation during emergencies, and advised residents to rely on official channels and social media pages rather than unverified reports in those situations.

The context

The statewide testing aligns with local efforts to improve emergency communications, especially after the city’s criticized response to January 2023’s winter storm, during which both officials and residents said not enough information was publicly provided.

That event prompted operational changes and other shifts in emergency management strategy. Watson said the city “went back to the drawing board” and has since aimed to communicate more clearly before, during and after events—and encourage registration for critical alerts.

More local emergency preparedness information is available at ReadyCentralTexas.org.

Quote of note

“Texas is Texas. We’re all independent, and we don’t necessarily always want the government to intrude on our phone. So that’s just something that we have to combat, because if we can’t contact you we can’t alert you,” Redick said.