WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Phones could light up and sirens may sound across Central Texas this morning as part of a statewide drill from the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
State officials are asking local agencies across Texas to test their alert systems, ranging from phone notifications to outdoor sirens.
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The goal is to see how quickly communities can warn residents in an emergency, how many people can be reached, and where there might still be gaps in communication.
"This comes out of the Hill Country floods last summer... the need to more regularly and more effectively test a wide range of products," Ryan Dirker said.
Emergency management leaders tell me that even if sirens do not sound, residents may still receive a message on their phones.
"We do intend to test the sirens in the city of Waco at 10:00 a.m... however, that will be weather dependent. But will receive a text," Dirker said.
Waco residents are already preparing for the notifications.
"How'd you guys hear about the alert system happening tomorrow? Yes, we did. I heard it on the news this morning," one Waco resident said.
"They were talking about it at work," another Waco resident said.
Waco Emergency Management advises residents not to panic if they receive the alert, as it is just a test designed to help keep communities better prepared when real emergencies hit.
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