The Emergency Test Tomorrow Has A BIG Downside For Domestic Abuse
Hopefully, by now, you have heard about the nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System. This test is going to be conducted at 12:20 PM Mountain, 2:20 PM Eastern, and will be sent over Radio, Television, and Mobile devices... but in talking with Michael of the Morning Mix today, he brought a unique... but valid... situation to light.
Domestic Violence in Montana
According to DomesticViolence.org, 37.2% of women and 34.6% of men in Montana have experienced physical, sexual or stalking abuse from an intimate partner in their lifetimes, with evidence showing that those stats are much lower than actual percentages.
Montana offers support for domestic violence victims in select counties across the state, so if you are in need of help, you will find more information for Yellowstone at the button below.
Why The Concern About "Go Phones"?
Something that didn't come to mind with me at first was those in domestic abuse situations with "Go Phones" or a "Hidden Safety Phone". What is that phone? It is essentially a secondary phone, kept secret from their abusers, to ensure their safety in the moment they might need such a life-saving device.
However, the Emergency Alert Test tomorrow, Wednesday, October 4th at 12:20 PM Mountain (2:20 PM Eastern), is going to set off ALL devices, regardless if they are on "Silent" or not, with a special alert tone and message.
Also, whether or not you have opted out of these messages on your device, you WILL still receive them. So, according to Safety Net, the only way to stop these messages is to simply TURN OFF your safety device fully.
So, if you are reading this, and you have a Go Phone... turn it off tomorrow. Turn it off early, and leave it off for an hour. The test is set to be broadcast for 30 minutes from cell towers nationwide from 12:20 PM Mountain until 12:50 Mountain. And stay safe.
What are your thoughts?
Did you think about how this emergency alert might jeopardize someone in domestic danger? Have you been in a situation like this before? Let us know on App Chat or on Facebook.
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Gallery Credit: Chris Wolfe