Alert about Detroit explosion accidentally sent to multiple, unaffected communities in early morning hours
As the investigation continues into what caused the
explosion at a Detroit apartment complex on Monday
, many people outside of Detroit are wondering why they received an emergency alert about the incident during the early morning hours.
For some people, the notification about a possible explosion on Littlefield Street in Detroit caused a rude awakening.
"I was very upset because I didn't fall asleep till 4 a.m. So then I was up at 6 a.m., and I've been up almost all night long," said Karen Srigley, of Gross Pointe.
A fire department spokesperson issued a statement, saying that someone meant to use Detroit Alerts 365 to send the alert "to the zip code surrounding the incident" but instead sent it through FEMA's Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS).
"It wasn't in my area. I immediately started to think about my mom, my dad, my brother and other family members, and wanting to make sure they weren't anywhere near the incident," Alosha Jackson, of Detroit, said.
Detroit Alerts 365
launched in 2021. It allows the city to send targeted alerts via text, email, or phone to residents who have opted into the system.
The alert sends Detroit-specific notifications about emergency situations, such as severe weather, public safety concerns, evacuation orders, notices to shelter in place and boil water advisories.
Messages sent to mobile devices through IPAWS use cell towers to reach as many people as possible.
"I was curious about why it went off. I mean, because I guess I was thinking that something when, when your alarm goes off like that, it's something that you know that you need to do, you need to take cover, or you need to check into something," Kathleen Samul, of Detroit, said.
To that end, some said they were unbothered by the disruption overall.
"In my opinion, although this may not have affected you, you know, or certain people in their immediate location, I think you do have to think about how that alarm was meant to help bring awareness to the situation," Jackson said. "It was a little jarring, but it didn't cause too much of the upset for me because it was just before I was about to wake up."
DFD has taken responsibility for the confusion and apologizes for any inconvenience the alert caused the community.
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