Unannounced Verizon Emergency Alert Causes Panic In New Jersey

An unannounced test of a soon to be mandatory emergency alert system caused panic in New Jersey today after Verizon customers received text messages warning them that a “civil emergency” was in progress and to “take shelter,” prompting alarmed citizens to flood 911 lines with anxious calls. However, media reports concerning the alarm completely ignore the fact that Verizon was almost certainly running a test for the federal government’s soon to be mandatory PLAN alert program, which the company has signed up for.

Nice going guys. I'm wondering how many ATSers had panic attacks in the area. I would have been pretty freaked out initially if I'd seen this poop up on my phone. Can you imagine if this hadn't just affected a few counties, but instead a few big cities or even all the users of the network in a specific state? Could have gotten ugly.


Oh Jeez, InfoWars

Idiocy or Malice that whomever designed the test didn't have the word TEST in block print on the message?


That out of the way I'm in NJ, but I didn't get it.

I'm serious though, you can't find a job any doing software testing that doesn't require a Bachelor's and 5+ years of experience and someone somewhere is being employed who doesn't use test case specific messages.

reply to post by eNumbra


That's what I'm wondering too. Was this malicious?

Just realized I said poop instead of pop in the OP but I'm leaving it because it amused me.

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by eNumbra

 

Just realized I said poop instead of pop in the OP but I'm leaving it because it amused me.

Originally posted by Domo1

prompting alarmed citizens to flood 911 lines with anxious calls. .

Whoever sent that text out should be fired for the blatant disregard of the panic they made, and how many phone calls would have been recieved that were not important and rang through to 911, hampering their timeliness in getting solutions for REAL emergencies...

People could have died due to thier recklessness.

Maybe an employee getting laid off and it's was his last hoorah

or

Just, a horrible joke on his part.

reply to post by DaRAGE


Not entirely sure if it was done on purpose but if so yes please fire the jackass.

reply to post by Domo1


Ha ha. I enjoyed the appropriate typo too. This is not good PR for Verizon's competence. However since Sprint etc will be rolling out similiar alerts too, I wonder how many more of these false alerts will occur? Here's a link to another story about it. click here

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by DaRAGE

 

Not entirely sure if it was done on purpose but if so yes please fire the jackass.

Whether it was done on purpose or not is not the issue. It should have a test message on there. That's what tests do. They have test message to let people know its a test and not to panic and not to call the emergency hotline aka 911.

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by eNumbra

 

That's what I'm wondering too. Was this malicious?

Just realized I said poop instead of pop in the OP but I'm leaving it because it amused me.

I thought you meant to, 'cause the whole darn event stinks like a load o' crapola.
Now I see it was a Freudian slip?
Anyway, what this company did is cause terror in the hearts and minds of American citizens. They terrorized them. Either purposefully or through negligence. They should pay retribution. They should waive all fees for month. Hit 'em where it hurts and I bet they won't do THAT again!!!

"Verizon Wireless has confirmed that the previous 'CMAS Alert' was inadvertently transmitted earlier in the day. They stated that the alert was part of an internal test of their communications systems and they are unaware of how many of their customers were inconvenienced by the error." Verizon's statement reads: "This test message was not clearly identified as a test. We apologize for any inconvenience or concern this message may have caused."

middletown-nj.patch.com...

Unaware? Ha.

Bad, bad booboo.

What, no one is going to yell "False Flag?"

I have to admit I laughed when I read the story here

I does kind or remind me of how the 'national' emergency test screwed up in a few places though. But I rather expect them to blame it on lulces or something. You know what I mean?

M.

reply to post by Moshpet

I have to admit I laughed when I read the story here

You and I both laughed at the story. I would have had a weird look on my face if I got that message.




Pic is for SDog if he's still around because I recall him hating picture posters.

reply to post by aboutface


Read your name, then wanted to make a joke about wanting your avatar to about face, then realized everyone else already gets it and I'm slow.

Well take shelter where? I think this shows that the mega disaster is still a ways off, there will be more info on where to go and such for those who are in need of outside shelter.

This is just BIZARRE and I think Verizon is in bed with the devil.

When we the people are paying for all of this, we need to be more involved in the process's with transparency.

This should have never happened, and on the heels of the last great 3 minute test...

Another link for your viewing pleasure..

NJ.com - Verizon Article

Sometimes, it's the comments under the stories that are the most telling of our society and our current situation as a whole. I swear we are all turning into conspiracy theorists!!

An earthquake on Saturday that our government insists did not happen, and now a previously undisclosed "test" of the emergency text alert system. Don't forget about the secret stealth drone that Iran shot down last week. We live in interesting times...

Thankfully, I dropped my Droid last year in favor of an i Phone. I'd have been at Wallmart blowing all of my Christmas funds on guns, ammo, water and plant seeds.

this is a probably a much bigger deal than many, even those 'conspiracy theorists' and those here at ATS, would initially consider it to be.

consider that eventually the government can reach all citizens at any time. consider that anyone with opinions against the government or anyone that is 'too constitutional' could be legally branded a terrorist and now can be subject to indefinite jail with no trial - regardless of their american citizenship and presence on US soil. now consider that this notification system can be used by the government to issue photos of 'dangerous terrorists' and people that if you see, you should call the police/military. the sheeple will.


i could probably go on, this is actually a huge deal on so many levels.

Originally posted by Moshpet
What, no one is going to yell "False Flag?"

I have to admit I laughed when I read the story here

I does kind or remind me of how the 'national' emergency test screwed up in a few places though. But I rather expect them to blame it on lulces or something. You know what I mean?

M.

It was a false flag to test public reaction.


It was a test alright !

A test of nerves.

DHS on Twitter?

Was there a second text saying it was a mistake?
Hmmmm.

Sounds to me like a test to see people's response.

Anything special about those 4 counties?

They will say later it was an employee error or similar excuse.

I think DHS was the director.

Is there any pending legislation concerning contractors or further civil rights tramplings?

I think it was a joint effort between DHS and CIA,
with Mossad attachés as observers.

The "TEST"

I wish this would have made front page. I heard nothing about it on mainstream news and just caught something on a radio show (the ticket) this morning.

i totally thought of you guys (and girls) when I heard it. i think there is something sinister here. it was a good point about why wasn't there a second message sent out saying it was a mistake? i would have freaked out if i received that warning.

also, it's really impersonal. i think the government should use emoticons.

"nuke attack. take shelter. "

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by eNumbra

 

That's what I'm wondering too. Was this malicious?

Just realized I said poop instead of pop in the OP but I'm leaving it because it amused me.

And that is why you rock, buddy.

Anyway, yeah, this would have at the very least concerned me. I would be turning on the TV, trying to find out what was going on. I know of lots of people who would have straight up gone into panic mode.

I don't know. I figure it was an accident. I would hope they would warn people before intentionally running such a test.

If it was on purpose and there was no warning made, some one NEEDS to lose their job, because this could have caused people to panic and people could have been hurt.

Also, that message sucks! How vague. Civil emergency take shelter. What kind of shelter? Where is the emergency? How much danger is there and what specifically is going on?

Its like a gun man saying, I will shoot you if you don't do exactly as I say, and then not saying anything....