EMERGENCY ALERT: SEVERE
Severity: Severe
Urgency: Take action within the next hour
Certainty: Observed
TEST: From Monterey Park EOC
THIS IS ONLY A TEST
The above is what I saw and until I saw the TEST part - my heart was racing. The message was accompanied by a test sound you hear on the TV when they test the EBS.
Now that I know it is a test, I am curious, why not put the TEST at the beginning? Why add all the serious looking Severe and Urgency and take action crap?
Anyone else get this?
I am in N. Hollywood CA and it is 2:22 PM.
2:49 PM PT: A twitter explanation a few minutes ago:
Popehat @Popehat 8m
Talked to Monterey Park FD. Apparently a firefighter accidentally sent the alert. They are aware it went to ALL THE CELL PHONES
3:10 PM PT: UPDATE:
Well, the news outlets here are getting involved, KTLA is trying to find out who/what and LA Weekly is on the case.
Apparently the LA Co. Sheriff's main office is there.
11:48 PM PT: UPDATE:
A lot of folks sent various screenshots and most of you are right, it seemed to depend on the service provider what type of text was received. Mine just seemed really ominous, and I am not one of those freak out easy people. They don't seem to know for sure, but they are saying it definitely was a mistake and may have something to do with a drill several different agencies were having today.