State issues first regional COVID-19 text alert aiming to get residents' attention

State issues first regional COVID-19 text alert aiming to get residents' attention

RECEIVED A COVID-19 TEXT ALERTTHAT WAS ISSUED BY THESTATE - REMINDING RESIDENTS TOSTAY HOME.23ABC'S ALEX BELL SHARES MORE ONWHAT THE STATE HAD TO SAYABOUT WHY THAT ALERT WAS SENTOUT AND IF WE'LL SEE MORE IN THEFUTURE.BRIAN FERGUSONDEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CRISISCOMMUNICATION, CAL OES"IT IS THE WIDEST WE'VE EVERISSUED AN EMERGENCYALERT BECAUSE WE THINK THERE ISJUST THAT MUCH DANGER.AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GETEVERYONE'S ATTENTION SOTHEY CAN TAKE THOSE ACTIONS TOPROTECT THEMSELVES ANDPROTECT THEIR FAMILIES."ON TUESDAY AT NOON A STATEEMERGENCY CELL PHONE ALERT WASSENT TO MILLIONS OF RESIDENTS INTHE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ANDSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COUNTIES-ASKING RESIDENTS TOSTAY HOME EXCEPT FOR ESSENTIALACTIVITIES.

THEALERT COMES AS SOCAL AND THE SANJOAQUIN VALLEY FALL BACKUNDER A MANDATORY REGIONAL STAYAT HOME ORDERISSUED BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.BRIAN FERGUSON WHOIS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FORCRISIS COMMUNICATION &PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR THEGOVERNOR'S EMERGENCYSERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID THEALERT IS UNUSUAL TO USEFOR COVID 19 BUT NECESSARY.BRIAN FERGUSONDEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CRISISCOMMUNICATION, CAL OES"WHEN OUR ICU CAPACITY IS BELOW15 PERCENT, WEREALLY DO THINK THERE IS ANIMMINENT THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTHAND SAFETY AND THE COMMUNITIESUNDER THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER."THE STATE USED THEIR WIRELESSEMERGENCY ALERTS SYSTEMTO SEND CELL PHONE USERS A TEXTIN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.FERGUSON SAID THE ALERT WAS SENTAT NOON SO PEOPLE WOULDNOTICE BUT NOT BE AFRAID.THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE STATEHAS ISSUED SUCH AN ALERT;ALTHOUGH RESIDENTS WHO RECEIVEDTHE ALERT ONTUESDAY SHOULDN'T EXPECT ANOTHERBUT IF NEWREGIONS FALL UNDER THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER IT COULD BE SENTAGAIN TO THOSE REGIONS.

THE HOPEWITH THIS ALERT HELPS GETRESIDENTS ATTENTIO"TO GET OVER THAT COVID FATIGUETHATSO MUCH OF US ARE FACING THESEDAYS AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEREREALLY IS AN EMERGENCY TO KINDOF GET OUT OF THE FOG AND TAKEACTION"FERGUSON SAYS IT'S ALSO TOOEARLY TO TELL IF THE ALERTINCREASED CALLS TO 911 BUT DATAWILL BE RELEASED IN THECOMING DAYS.

23ABC DID REACH TOLOCAL COUNTY OFFICIALS TO SEETHERE WAS AN INCREASE IN 911CALLS FROM THE ALERT HOWEVERWE WERE TOLD "THERE'S NO WAY TOCAPTURE THE NUMBER OF CALLSBECAUSE THEY DON'T GETDISPATCHED WHICH IS WHERE A"CAUSE" IS ASSIGNED TO THECALL."MEANWHILE -- WHEN IT COMES