NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
Government agencies are rolling out a new service to warn the public of dangerous conditions.
Warning messages, called Wireless Emergency Alerts, are similar to text messages, but will make a different sound and vibration.
The messages will automatically appear on the phone's screen, but will not interrupt phone calls or downloads.
The most common broadcast will be severe weather warnings such as tornado, flash flood and ice storm warnings.
Warnings could also include Amber Alerts or presidential alerts during a national crisis.
"It could be several months, six, seven, even nine months before one of these very specific WEA messages gets received," explained Tom Johnson with the National Weather Service.
The WEA message will show the type and time of the alert, along with any action people should take.
Alerts will also be rebroadcast until the emergency situation has passed and is no longer a threat within the area.
"I think it's a good idea," said Murfreesboro resident Darren Whaley. "I watch the weather all the time and [monitor] the radar, so yeah I think it's a good idea."
However, Tennessee resident John Nelson disagrees and said he plans to opt out of the service.
"I'll look at the sky and look at other people's reactions and when they run for the hills, I'll in for the hills."
Wireless Emergency Alerts are a partnership between FEMA, the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Cell phone users will not be charged for the alerts and there is no need to subscribe or download an app.
Most phones less than a year old are WEA-capable.
Click here to find out if your phone is WEA-capable, or contact your wireless carrier.
