Pocatello residents will receive an emergency alert on Saturday as part of a test exercise

The following is a press release from the City of Pocatello.

Pocatello residents in the South Pocatello area will receive a TEST Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) notification at 10 a.m. Saturday as part of an annual interagency fire drill. Residents do not need to take any action. Residents who receive the alert will be provided with a link to a three-question survey to provide feedback on how the notification process works. This drill will help residents understand how wireless emergency alerts are sent in the event of a real emergency and will give emergency responders a chance to test this system.

The WEA system is an essential component of America’s emergency preparedness and public safety. WEA enables customers who own compatible mobile devices to receive geo-targeted, text-like messages alerting them to impending safety threats in their area.

As part of this exercise, the Pocatello Fire Department, along with representatives from various federal, state and local agencies, will learn about wildfire behavior. The day will begin with a briefing at the Century High School incident command center in Pocatello. After the briefing, participants will go through stations that include wildfire tactics and response. The exercise is expected to conclude around noon.

“This is an opportunity to build relationships with other responders and develop common response strategies and communications,” said Pocatello Fire Chief Ryan O’Hearn. “Interagency training also ensures smoother operations and a clearer understanding of expectations when we are in live-fire conditions.”

Residents should expect increased traffic in the area around Century High School during the exercise.