WEA

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) is a public safety system in the United States that allows authorized government agencies to send geographically targeted emergency messages to compatible mobile devices within a defined area. The system is designed to deliver rapid alerts about dangerous weather, missing persons, or other threats to public safety. WEA messages are broadcast over cellular networks using a dedicated cell‑broadcast channel rather than traditional text messaging.

WEA was developed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and wireless carriers. It became available nationwide in the early 2010s, with ongoing enhancements to expand coverage and capabilities. The alert types include Presidential Alerts, Extreme Weather or Public Safety Alerts, and Amber Alerts, each serving different emergency needs. Message content is intentionally brief, typically constrained to a short text notice, and devices may provide an audible and tactile alert to ensure attention.

Operation and reach depend on device capability and carrier participation. The system targets messages to devices within the affected geographic area, using location-based targeting while avoiding disclosure of precise personal locations. Users may have some control over the reception of non-presidential WEA messages, depending on device settings or carrier policies. WEA does not incur charges to receive alerts, but it relies on compatible hardware and network support to function effectively.

Note: WEA is also an acronym used by other organizations and concepts; this article concerns the Wireless Emergency Alerts system.