On October 4, the federal government will issue a nationwide Emergency Alert Test. The test will begin in the afternoon, appearing anytime from 1:20 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. central time.
The FCC and FEMA are conducting the test on radios, TVs, and cellphones to ensure the national emergency systems are effective.
The alert will appear on wireless phones that are turned on, within cell tower range, and whose wireless provider participates in Wireless Emergency Alerts.
Although the goal is to protect American citizens, it may negatively impact some people.
A local domestic violence center says domestic abuse survivors are one group of people who should be aware of the alert.
The Merryman House's Advocacy and Resiliency Coordinator, Jayna Burkey, says it is common for survivors to have a second phone.
"There are huge safety issues whenever it comes to our survivors and their phones, which is why they often have a secret phone. It's because they're being watched," Burkey explained.
With today's advanced technology, abusers have access to many applications that invade another person's privacy.
"I know advocates are working with clients whose phones have tracking devices on them, or they're being mirrored or cloned," Burkey said.
The Merryman House's Director of Community Engagement, Kayla Myers, says survivors get a secret phone as part of an escape plan.
If an abuser discovers a survivor's second phone, the repercussions could be deadly.
"We had a client recently call from their secret phone, and unfortunately, the call was disconnected, and we haven't been able to speak to that survivor since," Myers said. "When an abuser thinks that they're losing that power and control, that's when it gets dangerous."
The Merryman House staff is urging domestic violence survivors to shut off their second phones tomorrow.
"We would encourage all survivors just to keep their phones off tomorrow. That is the safest thing for them to do," Burkey said.
If anyone knows of someone in a domestic abuse situation, let them know about the alert. Knowing about the test before it goes off could save a life.
