You're about to get a DM from the City of Denver (or already got one, if you're reading this after 11 a.m.).
The city's Office of Emergency Management is testing two emergency alert systems on Wednesday, Sept. 10.
One automatically pings every phone tied to Denver-based cell towers.
The other is an opt-in service that allows residents to get emergency notifications for specific areas and is not tied to geography. That means even if you're traveling, you could still get alerted to important local updates, like shelter-in-place orders.
Loa Esquilin-Garcia, spokesperson for Denver Emergency Management, said her office tests geographic-based alerts each year. It's been about two years since the opt-in system was tested.
"We always think it's a good thing. Let's go ahead and test the system, make sure everyone knows what it is and what to do," she said.
What if I didn't get an alert?
If you didn't get an alert today, and you're worried about it, it could be because you were actually in Lakewood or Aurora. Esquilin-Garcia people don't always realize they've left the city.
If you're interested in getting the opt-in alert, the one that's not related to geography, you can sign up on Emergency Management's website — look for "Reverse Emergency Notifications."
Esquilin-Garcia said the opt-in system is useful because you can track areas beyond your home, like your kid's school or your favorite bar.
She sent us this tipsheet to help you navigate this wild world of official alerts:
