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Los Angeles County officials are taking swift measures to address the widespread problems with recent emergency alerts, which erroneously reached millions of residents and sparked outrage during an already chaotic wildfire emergency.
In a statement, the County acknowledged the “anger and frustration” shared by residents and pledged to restore trust through immediate corrective actions and a thorough investigation into the alert failures.
“We thank our residents for their patience and want to assure the public that we are working around the clock to resolve the issue,”
Source: LA County Official Statement
Transition to State System Amid Investigation
To prevent further issues, the County, with the support of California’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), has shifted all local emergency notifications to the state CalOES alert system. This decision will remain in place until officials are confident the problem has been fully resolved.
Initial findings from the County’s preliminary investigation revealed that a correctly targeted emergency alert was sent from the County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at around 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 9. However, the alert was mistakenly disseminated to nearly 10 million residents across Los Angeles County, far exceeding the intended geographic area.
Vendor and Federal Agencies Step In
Genasys, the vendor responsible for the County’s emergency alert software, is actively testing its system to identify how the error occurred. The company has already implemented additional safeguards to its software in an effort to prevent similar incidents.
At the County’s request, both the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have joined the investigation to determine why “echoes” of the original erroneous alert continued to reach residents’ phones, compounding the confusion and distress. Officials believe that telecommunications system issues, potentially caused by wildfire damage to cellular towers, may be to blame for the recurring alerts.
A Multifaceted Emergency Notification System
While addressing these failures, officials stressed that Wireless Emergency Alerts are only one component of the County’s broader emergency notification system. Residents are encouraged to sign up for Alert LA County, a platform that delivers notifications via landline, text, or email based on user preferences. Unlike wireless alerts, this system can reach residents regardless of internet access.
To register for Alert LA County, residents can visit ready.lacounty.gov/emergency-notifications.
Additional Support for Residents
To further assist the community, the County is ramping up its 211 services to provide real-time information and resources for residents affected by the wildfires. Additionally, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies are delivering door-to-door evacuation notifications to ensure residents in immediate danger are reached without delay.
Commitment to Transparency and Resolution
Los Angeles County officials emphasized their commitment to transparency and accountability as they work to uncover the root cause of this “dangerously unacceptable breakdown” and implement lasting solutions. Updates on the investigation and corrective measures will be shared with the public as they become available.
“We thank our residents for their patience and want to assure the public that we are working around the clock to resolve the issue,” the County stated. “Our goal is to reestablish public confidence and ensure that emergency information residents receive from us during this unprecedented emergency is accurate and reliable.”
As wildfires continue to impact the region, County officials are determined to rebuild trust in the emergency alert system while prioritizing public safety.
