The Texas Division of Emergency Management will conduct a statewide test of emergency alert systems Thursday between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
According to a City of Dallas news release, the test will include alerts sent to cell phones, outdoor warning sirens and other notification systems, with some residents receiving multiple alerts as part of the coordinated effort.
The release said the test is designed to ensure emergency systems are working properly and can effectively reach Texans during real disasters.
The city is reminding residents not to call 911 if they receive a test alert, emphasizing that no action is needed.
Travis Houston, the deputy director of Dallas’ Office of Emergency Management and Crisis Response, said Dallas tested its siren system Wednesday, as it does every first Wednesday of the month. He added some Dallas residents may still hear sirens from other jurisdictions Thursday during the statewide test window.
“They’re not going to continuously send alerts for two and a half hours, but some cities may be testing at different times within that time block,” Houston said.
Meanwhile, according to the National Weather Service, multiple rounds of thunderstorms are expected throughout the week that will impact North, West and Central Texas in the coming days, increasing the risk of flash flooding in some areas.
Gov. Greg Abbott has activated emergency response resources ahead of potential storms that could bring large hail, damaging winds, heavy rainfall and possible tornadoes.
“I will say that if there is severe weather still, if there’s still rain or anything like that tomorrow near test time, many cities may opt to cancel their test,” Houston said.
“We don’t test the sirens, for example, because we don’t want to accidentally make someone think that there’s an emergency when there isn’t one.”