Press Release
August 31, 2010
Contact: Aaron Hunter 202-225-2040
Congresswoman Susan Davis Lauds Plan for Disaster Warnings to Cell Phones
Davis had urged implementation of such a warning system
San Diego – After pleas from Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) in the wake of a series of wildfires, San Diego County recently announced that it will become the testing spot for a Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS). The CMAS would allow the county to send evacuation notices and other important safety information directly to mobile devices.
“San Diego should be a leader in cutting edge technology to alert people with critical disaster information. We know from past disasters that quick access to safety information during an emergency situation can be life-saving,” said Davis. “There are an increasing number of people who don’t have landlines and only use a cell phone. While there are some who participate in limited opt-in warning programs for mobile phones, many people would be left out of the loop in the event of an emergency.”
Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) last year called on the federal government to implement a system to relay safety information to mobile phones under the Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act (WARN) Act.
The Federal Communication Commission worked with commercial mobile service providers to create a Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) to relay emergency alerts through cellular phones. In a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Davis urged the agency to move forward on getting the system up and running.
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