Don't panic if you get an emergency preparedness message Tuesday

"On May 12, police and fire departments across Alameda County will participate in a regional emergency alert and warning training. The public does not need to take any action. Residents who are opted into AC Alert, Alameda County's emergency notification system, received a text message Monday morning informing them that the county and local cities will test emergency notification systems, improve coordination, and rehearse public messaging the following day."

"Tuesday's exercise will primarily involve administrative employees, like public information officers, testing emergency notifications on the back end and receiving training on new technology systems. There are no pressing actions the public needs to take, and no emergency services will be interrupted, said Brentt Blaser, emergency manager for Alameda County Office of Emergency Services. But each jurisdiction will send its own message to residents, with some variation, encouraging them to create an emergency preparedness plan, Blaser said."

"Unless there is an actual emergency, none of the sirens should be activated tomorrow, and there won't be more police cars, fire trucks or engines, or other field resources out of the ordinary. There's nothing happening in the actual, general public, Blaser said. Individuals and families should create a plan for emergencies and natural disasters."

"Alameda County created a general preparedness checklist that includes tasks like having a designated meeting spot, making copies of important documents, and memorizing evacuation routes. We have a wildfire guide, including information on how to prepare a go bag, how to find your evacuation zone number, and special considerations for people with disabilities, older adults, and unhoused people. We've also written about how to prepare for earthquakes, including ways to h"

Police and fire departments across Alameda County will conduct a regional emergency alert and warning training on May 12. The public is not expected to take any action because the exercise will not interrupt emergency services. The test will focus on administrative personnel, including public information officers, who will test emergency notifications behind the scenes and receive training on new technology systems. Each jurisdiction will send its own message to residents, encouraging emergency preparedness planning. Sirens should not be activated unless a real emergency occurs, and there will be no unusual deployment of police cars, fire trucks, or other field resources. Alameda County provides preparedness checklists and guides for wildfire and earthquakes, including go-bag preparation, evacuation zone information, and considerations for people with disabilities, older adults, and unhoused people.

Read at www.berkeleyside.org