You probably carry a device that can instantly warn you about life-threatening situations, even if it's on silent. But how do these emergency alerts work, and what makes them so effective at reaching millions of people at once?
Emergency alerts often trend when a large-scale test or real event triggers them, reminding everyone of their critical role.
Recently, a nationwide test of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system in the U.S. on October 4, 2023, caused a surge in searches.