Denver to test emergency cell phone alert system Thursday

Denver will test its wireless emergency alert system Thursday, though only people who’ve opted into receiving test alerts will experience it.

The alert is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday. The test will be sent to all mobile devices located within the city and county of Denver, regardless of where the phones are registered or if they have out-of-area phone numbers. State and local tests are not enabled by default, however, so users will need to turn it on their phones’ settings to receive it.

The test is being timed in recognition of National Preparedness Month and is being conducted by the Denver Office of Emergency Management. The alerts are designed to send warnings about imminent dangers, including severe weather, public safety and other local emergencies. The test alert should be clearly marked as such.

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