Cities to participate in statewide emergency alert test April 2

Farmers Branch and Carrollton residents may receive emergency alerts on their phones, email or other devices late Thursday morning as part of a statewide test coordinated by the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

The test is scheduled for Thursday, April 2, between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and will involve cities and agencies across Texas evaluating how well their public warning systems function during a crisis.

The City of Farmers Branch will send a test through its BranchAlert system at 10 a.m. to users who have opted in to receive severe weather notifications. Officials said outdoor warning sirens will not be activated that day, noting that routine siren testing will take place the day before, April 1, at 1 p.m.

The City of Carrollton plans to use multiple alerting tools during the drill, including its CarrolltonAlert system powered by Everbridge, as well as broader systems such as Wireless Emergency Alerts and FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. Officials said all messages will clearly state they are part of a test and that no emergency is occurring.

The exercise is designed to measure how effectively cities can reach residents across a range of platforms, including landlines, cell phones, text messages and email.

The coordinated drill extends beyond individual cities. According to the state, school districts, colleges and universities, public safety agencies, councils of government, river authorities and other regional partners have been asked to participate.

The statewide effort is intended to identify gaps in communication systems and improve coordination among agencies before a real emergency occurs. Participating entities are expected to report results back to the state, including any issues encountered and lessons learned.

“Regular training and testing of public warning systems builds readiness before disaster strikes and is an important component of community safety,” said Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. “Conducting drills to reaffirm procedures, promote confidence in technological tools, and identify potential shortfalls is key to ensuring these systems operate with precision, accuracy, and timeliness when they are needed the most.”

The drill is conducted under Chapter 418.043 of the Texas Government Code, which authorizes the state to set standards for emergency management planning and training.

Cities including Irving have publicly confirmed participation in the test. As of publication, Addison had not announced whether it will take part.

State officials said the goal is consistency across jurisdictions, allowing local agencies to test primary, backup and contingency alert systems within the same window.

For residents, no action is required. Officials say the most important takeaway is awareness, and a reminder to review personal emergency plans and ensure contact information is up to date in local alert systems.

_{Local News Matters.}